Mnemonic
by Ms. Zeal
Summary: COMPLETE! After Shishio's beaten, Kenshin is separated from Sano when the bridge collapses and has to escape with Saito. He suffers a head injury, and loses his memory of everything in the past year.
1. Seperated

Disclaimer: I do not own anything of importance in this story.

**Chapter 1**

Fire spouted from the smokestacks placed around the arena, contributing to the temperature within. The heat was oppressive, but was ignored by the few people in there. Two bodies, charred and still consumed in flame, lay toward one side of the platform, away from the exit. One man stood behind them, shoulder-length brown hair swept back away from his face. He was dressed in a dark brown suit, covered by a lighter brown trench coat. He stared at the burning forms in front of him, murmuring to himself in denial. "No…Shishio-sama…" Sadojima Houji muttered brokenly.

Across from him stood four men. The furthest back was dressed in a blue police uniform. Blood stained his jacket around the hole torn in the shoulder and the 'x' cut across his chest. He also had two bandages, one wrapped tightly around each thigh. Although he appeared unaffected by the wounds, the blood seeping through the bandages suggested otherwise. Lighting a cigarette, he surveyed the scene before him with a bored expression, as if he had expected this to happen. Taking a few drags, he walked towards the exit and leaned casually against the wall, waiting for the others to join him. "Took him long enough," Saito Hajime said, his eyes shifting to the red-haired man before him.

A little in front of Saito stood two more men. One had short black hair that partially obscured his eyes from view. He was dressed in nondescript black clothing covered by a cream-colored trench coat. There was a large gash across the front of his tunic, showing the battered flesh no longer concealed beneath it. Although tired from the day's battles, the ex-leader of the Oniwaban group hid his exhaustion behind his usual emotionless mask as he surveyed his companions. _We could have fared better,_ Shinomori Aoshi thought.

Near him, a tall fighter was picking himself up off the ground. He had spiky brown hair held back by a red headband and wore a white jacket that had the kanji for 'Evil' on the back. He had white pants to match that didn't quite reach his ankles, and he held his right hand as if it pained him. He walked over to the shortest member of their group, placing his left hand on the shoulder of the red-haired man. "You beat him," Sagara Sanosake said, smiling.

The last man stood in front of the others, staring at the smoldering embers before him. His gi was in tatters, barely hanging on his lithe body, and his hakama wasn't in much better condition. Blood stained the bandages around his back and neck, while it flowed sluggishly from the wounds on his shoulder and in his side. His chest was covered in burns and his body trembled with each breath he took, obviously in pain. The breeze played with his long red hair, almost making it seem as if his blood was dancing across his shoulders. He held a sakabato loosely in his right hand as he bent to pick up a broken pocket watch on the ground. Sanosake came up behind him, putting a hand on his shoulder.

"You beat him."

Himura Kenshin closed his eyes, wearily. "No—"

"Shishio-sama couldn't lose!" Houji screamed, cutting Kenshin off. "There's no way he could lose! Argh!" Houji was clutching his head almost desperately, shaking it back and forth vehemently in denial. He sprinted past them, pushing Kenshin out of his way in his haste. Although he wasn't hit hard – a glancing blow, at best – his body could not withstand the extra punishment.

Sano cried out in alarm as Kenshin fell. With reflexes that defied his weary body, Sano caught Kenshin as gently as he could, lowering him to the ground.

"Kenshin?! Kenshin!!"

Although he heard his friend's cries, the red-head made no attempt to answer him. _I'm going to need all of my remaining strength to get out of here. But…I'm so tired. Perhaps just a short rest…_ That was his last thought before Kenshin surrendered to the darkness,

Now that the battle with Shishio had been concluded, there was no need to rush; so Sano took some time to dress most of Kenshin's wounds as best he could. Kenshin wasn't bleeding very fast, surprisingly enough, but it was best to stop the bleeding as soon as possible. After he had finished, he pulled Kenshin's arm over his shoulder and stood up. He was quite a bit taller than the redhead and, consequently, Kenshin's feet dangled above the ground. Satisfied with this position, Sano walked towards the door. Aoshi stood silently, waiting for them. Saito snorted.

Normally, Sanosake wouldn't have been able to restrain a sharp remark, but the light burden hanging on his shoulder stilled his tongue. _I can't waste time arguing with Saito,_ Sano thought, _Kenshin needs a doctor now!_

Resolutely ignoring the former captain of the Shinsengumi, Sano walked past Saito and disappeared through the door. Aoshi and Saito followed suit.

Sano hurried down the stairs as fast as he dared, trying not to jostle Kenshin too much. They reached the bottom of the stairs and raced across the bridge to the door. Aoshi tried pushing it open to no avail. Houji had bolted it shut from the other side. Thinking swiftly, Sano set Kenshin down about twenty feet away from the door. If his plan worked, he didn't want any of the debris to further injure his friend. Getting a running start, Sano rushed towards the door, raising his left fist. He struck the door hard, causing it to shudder, but having no other effect.

"Move aside."

Sano turned to see Saito sinking into the Gatoutsu stance. Ignoring Sano's protests, Saito charged at the door, sword raised. The wood splintered under the impact as blood spurted from the wounds on his legs, eliciting a grunt from Saito. Sano stared in shock. Smirking, Saito walked back towards Kenshin. "I've faced more of these life or death situations than any of you."

Suddenly, an explosion shook the foundations of the bridge beneath their feet. They managed to keep their balance as a few more explosions rocked the structure.

"What was that?!" Sanosake cried, reflexively. He didn't really expect an answer. Aoshi was too stoic and Saito was, well, Saito. Kenshin would have answered him, but the small swordsman was currently unconscious. Sano was a bit startled when someone answered his question.

"Houji is destroying this entire place. Apparently he seems to think that our deaths would prove Shishio's superiority. I think it's time we left," Saito said, not moving towards the door.

Sensing danger, Kenshin opened his eyes. Without warning, an explosion erupted below them, knocking out a twelve-foot section of the bridge. Saito's quick reflexes saved him from a fiery demise, as he jumped from the crumbling bridge to where Kenshin was struggling to rise, about three feet from the edge of the new hole in the bridge. The smoke cleared, revealing Sano and Aoshi standing unharmed on the other side, in front of the door. Sano's relief at seeing them unharmed (from the explosion, anyway) quickly changed to dismay as he realized there was no way either Kenshin or Saito could get across the twelve foot gap that now separated them. Normally, either one of them could jump that distance with ease, but not in their current condition. They were stuck.

Looking at the distance, Kenshin knew he'd never be able to make it. He heard a soft chuckle next to him and turned. Sato was lighting another cigarette, a smirk set firmly upon his features. "You've got no sense of direction, do ya?" Saito asked, casually.

"What'd you say?!" Sano demanded, annoyed.

"I gave Shinomori a map of this place. Have him guide ya outta here." Having said that, Saito turned and started walking away.

"Saito!"

Saito turned back, taking a long drag of his cigarette. "I've faced more of these life or death situations than any of you."

Kenshin, who had been observing Saito, realized what the policeman had been trying to say. He knew another way out. _Of course,_ Kenshin thought, _He probably got that map after we got back last night. I would be willing to bet that he has memorized the entire layout of this place, including every exit!_ With renewed hope, Kenshin started to follow Saito.

"Kenshin!"

Kenshin turned to look at Sano, smiling. "Don't worry about this one, Sano. I'll be all right, that I will. Right now, you and Aoshi need to concentrate on getting out of here, that you do," Kenshin said, following after Saito.

Before Sano could respond, there was another explosion. Flames engulfed what was left of the bridge, obscuring its occupants from view. The smoke cleared partially, revealing an empty, crumbling bridge. Kenshin and Saito were nowhere to be seen. Sano started forward, but Aoshi held him back. They left, Aoshi all but dragging Sano with him.

"KENSHIN!!"


	2. Gone

Disclaimer: I do not own anything of importance in this story.

**Chapter 2**

Kenshin hurried after Saito as fast as he was able. Every movement sent fresh waves of agony throughout his body. He felt completely drained, all of the adrenalin that lent him strength during his battle having long since worn off. He was starting to feel light-headed from the loss of so much blood, but he had no choice except to continue. He had hoped to have Sano to rely on to make sure he got out of there safely. However, this was not to be and Kenshin held no delusions of Saito doing the same.

Saito was walking ahead of Kenshin casually, as if he were walking down the street rather than through a burning building. Kenshin was grateful for the slow pace, but was finding it increasingly difficult to keep his body moving. His vision was beginning to blur, causing him to stumble more and more over unseen debris that littered the floor. He knew it was only a matter of time before he passed out. He only hoped he made it out of the mountain before that happened.

Saito had been watching Kenshin discreetly, not that the redhead would have noticed, anyway. He slowed his pace a little more as Kenshin stumbled yet again, barely regaining his balance. Saito waited impatiently. _If Battousai doesn't hurry up, neither one of us are going to make it out of here alive,_ he thought, annoyed. His honor wouldn't allow him to leave Kenshin for several reasons. First, they had a temporary alliance, and Saito had never left his allies in a situation he didn't think they could handle on their own. Second, Kenshin had beaten Shishio, when Saito had been defeated. That line of reasoning meant that Kenshin was currently stronger than Saito. The former captain of the Shinsengumi was not going to allow Battousai to die in a burning building until they had a rematch that was decisive. Unfortunately, that meant he had to wait for Kenshin so he could lead the small swordsman out of here.

Saito glanced back to check on Kenshin's progress, his eyes widening slightly in surprise. It seemed as though one of the beams above them had broken, swinging down in a low arc. Kenshin, apparently, had not been able to move of out the way quickly enough, and was caught up in it's path. The beam was still hanging down, swinging slightly, while Kenshin was lying on the floor next to the wall he had crashed into. He made no effort to get up.

Saito walked back over to his prone form. Kenshin was still alive, but unconscious. Saito stood there a few seconds before reaching down and lifting Kenshin off the floor. He began walking towards the exit at a quick pace, cursing his rotten luck every step of the way.

. . .

Chou the Sword Hunter paced back and forth, impatiently, in front of the carriage. Saito had given him orders to wait for him at this location. Chou had been sitting there all day and was becoming rather bored.

"I don't know why he wants me to wait fer him here," Chou grumbled to himself. "The entrance into Shishio-sama's hide-out is on the other side of the mountain!"

He would have continued his griping, if he hadn't caught sight of something moving through the trees. Looking closer, he realized that it was Saito and he appeared to be carrying something. Still grumbling about having to wait all day, Chou walked out to meet him.

As he drew closer, Chou realized that Saito wasn't carrying something -- he was carrying someone. And there was only one person that he could think of who had red hair like that.

"Battousai?!"

Chou was about to say something else, when he caught sight of Saito's face. He wisely decided to refrain from comment. They walked to the carriage in silence, and headed back to Kyoto.

. . .

Plumes of black smoke rose into the sky, tainting the air. Flickering tongues of flame could be made out at the base of the smoke, sending glowing embers high into the sky before they faded.

A safe distance away on a small hill, two men watched the inferno as it slowly died down. Aoshi said nothing, his face revealing nothing of what he was feeling. Sano watched, tears coursing unchecked down his cheeks.

Suddenly, Sano lashed out, striking a tree near him with his left hand. The tree absorbed the impact, some of the higher branches shaking and causing the birds to flee.

"Saito, you idiot! If someone had told me you had gotten yourself killed, I wouldn't have believed them! But there's no way he could have survived that -- no way I can deny he's dead… and he took Kenshin with him! That's twice Kenshin's broken his promise to me now! He wasn't supposed to wander off without me. First, he came to Kyoto without telling me, and now he's, he's--" Sano sank down to his knees, his head resting against the tree. "I'm sorry, Jou-chan. I failed. I couldn't bring Kenshin back to you, like I promised. I'm so sorry…" Sano whispered. He sat there for a few minutes, before wiping his tears and standing. He faced toward Kyoto.

"No use in putting it off any longer. I guess I need to tell Jou-chan that Kenshin's not coming back…" Sano said softly, a single tear falling from his eye. He wiped it away, annoyed. He needed to be strong for Jou-chan and Yahiko. Resolutely, he walked toward Kyoto, leaving Mt. Hiei in the distance. Aoshi followed, neither one of them looking back.

. . .

Nine people waited outside of the Aoiya. The building itself was only half-standing, the other half lying in a pile of rubble. It was obvious that several fights had taken place and the damage done had been extensive.

"It's being very quiet now -- almost as if nothing at all has happened," Okina commented, his words contrasting with the destruction behind him. A police officer walked up and addressed him.

"Excuse me -- good evening. We've arrested all the perpetrators, so you should all go down to the police hospital now."

Okina looked up. "Hm? There's nothing wrong with me, officer, just have a look!" he said, waving his hand for emphasis. The officer looked a little uncertain.

"Uh, but, the others here look like they have some serious injuries, and they should hurry and get them treated…" he began, before Misao cut him off.

"No way! We're here because we're waiting for some folks! And until they come back safe and sound, none of us are gonna budge an inch for anything!" Misao said, her voice full of conviction.

"But, you must--" the officer tried again.

"He's coming back," Yahiko said, his voice a little weak. He was lying on his stomach, with Kaoru sitting next to him. He pushed himself up onto his elbows. "I know Kenshin's definitely coming back!" He gasped slightly, cringing as his movement evoked more pain from his injuries. Kaoru reached out to him immediately.

"You shouldn't be moving Yahiko!" she scolded him lightly. The police officer sighed and left to fetch a few doctors to come and tend to them, since they would not go to the hospital.

A little ways away, Hiko smirked, drinking his sake. "Well, it looks as if that idiot apprentice of mine has got himself a faithful follower," he said, taking another drink. Misao was next to him in an instant.

"How can you just sit there and not worry about your own pupil?!" she demanded, enraged at Hiko's casual attitude.

"Don't forget that even if he is an idiot, he's _my_ apprentice. I know there's no way he'll let himself get killed. That true for the guy you're waiting for too, right?" Hiko asked, effectively changing the subject and distracting the young leader of the Oniwaban group. He turned to look at her, to see her reaction. Sure enough, Misao was lost in her thoughts, a smile playing about her features. Hiko gaze slid past her and down the street. His eyes widened slightly at what he saw there, and he stood suddenly, drawing everyone's attention. He ignored them, and they followed his gaze.

Gasps were heard all around as two figures could be seen walking slowly down the street. Misao's face broke into a smile as she recognized one of the figures as Aoshi, and she ran towards him, ignoring the second man altogether.

Kaoru and Yahiko's faces brightened at the sight of Sano, but quickly became worried when they couldn't spot Kenshin. They ran forward to question Sano.

Aoshi and Sano stopped, waiting for the group to reach them. Aoshi looked up, his face impassive; unsure as to what sort of reception was about to befall him. Sano could not bring himself to meet the gaze of any of his friends.

Upon reaching them, Misao threw her arms around Aoshi, crying happily. Aoshi was too surprised to react, and was soon caught up in a group hug from the rest of the Oniwaban group. Surprise and confusion shown clearly upon his features.

Kaoru and Yahiko stopped about two feet from Sano. Kenshin was still nowhere to be seen and Sano didn't look like someone who had come back from a victorious fight. With more than a little apprehension, she asked Sanosuke the dreaded question. "Where's Kenshin?"

Sano kept his gaze on the ground. "I'm sorry, Jou-chan. I failed you…"

Kaoru's heart seemed to stop completely. _Sano didn't say what I thought he just said, did he? No, I must have heard wrong…_ she thought, hoping and praying that she had heard wrong. She couldn't bring herself to ask the next question. Fortunately, Yahiko was under no such restraints.

"Whaddya mean, you failed? Where's Kenshin?! What happened, Sano?!" Yahiko demanded. He looked angry and his eyes filled with tears that threatened to fall. Quietly, Sano recounted what had happened on the bridge. Kaoru and Yahiko listened in shocked silence. Yahiko was the first to respond.

"That doesn't mean he's dead! Kenshin wouldn't just throw his life away like that! He had probably seen another way out when you guys went in there and that's where he was going! He's alive, I know it! Kenshin wouldn't just give up like that!" Yahiko cried, his voice steadily rising in volume. He had gained the attention of the Oniwaban group, who were now listening intently to see what they had missed.

Sano looked up for the first time, making eye contact with Kaoru. "I'm sorry. I've failed," he said, his voice barely above a whisper. "Kenshin isn't coming back."

Sano's words were like an arrow through her heart. Kaoru couldn't breathe, and she suddenly felt very cold. The iciness spread from her heart throughout her body, freezing her in place. She wanted to scream, to cry out, to do _something_ but she couldn't. She wanted Sano to say this was just some sort of twisted joke. She wanted to see Kenshin walk around the corner, assuring her that he was all right. However, Sano didn't take back his words and Kenshin never came.

Yahiko cried out in denial at Sanosuke's statement. "You're lying!" He screamed, running at Sanosuke. He needed to vent his anger and Sano was the closest thing he could find to do that. He continually hit Sano, as if trying to make him take back the harsh words of reality. Yahiko put all of his emotions into his fists as they beat upon Sanosuke's chest.

Fortunately for Sano, Yahiko was still pretty weak from the fight he had taken part in earlier, so his punches didn't hurt very much. Sano waited until Yahiko had spent his strength, and collapsed on the ground, sobbing uncontrollably. He picked up the boy in his arms, trying his best to comfort him. Kenshin had been like a father figure to Yahiko and losing him, after already losing his own parents, had caused a very deep wound.

A snort caused everyone to turn and look toward the source. Hiko stood a little way away from the groups, looking toward the barely discernable smoke still rising from Mt. Hiei. He shook his head, walking back towards his house.

"Hmph. Baka deshi. Still an idiot to the end, I see," he muttered to himself as he walked past.

Misao, tears streaming down her face, heard this and whirled about, intent on making Hiko show some compassion towards his now former pupil. Okina's hand on her arm stopped her. She looked at him in annoyance, silently asking why he was stopping her. He shook his head, looking at her sternly, and she finally dropped her gaze.

They stood in silence for a few more minutes, before they heard someone else walking up. Sae, owner of the Shirobeko, walked over to Okina, taking in all the destruction around her. "Okina, I heard about the fight earlier today. If any of you will need a place to stay, you're more than welcome to stay at the Shirobeko," she offered, looking around at the group. Everyone seemed ready to collapse at any minute, and it was obvious that they couldn't stay at the Aoiya.

"Thank you, Sae-san. If there's anything we can do to repay your kindness--" Okina started, but Sae cut him off.

"Oh, don't worry about it. After all, if it weren't for the Oniwaban group, the Shirobeko would have burned down with the rest of Kyoto last night. This is the least I can do."

Sae led the tired group down the streets of Kyoto, leaving the destruction wreaked upon the Aoiya in their wake.

. . .

**To Be Continued**

**Japanese Terms**

Jou-chan Sano's nickname for Kaoru (Missy)

Deshi pupil; apprentice

Baka stupid; idiot


	3. Goodbye

Disclaimer: I do not own anything of importance in this story.

**Chapter 3**

As soon as he was out of sight, Hiko ran. One of his deshi's friends, Sano, had said that Kenshin had died at Mt. Hiei. Hiko didn't want to believe it, but the cold voice of reason had confirmed it as a possibility. So, Hiko had made his exit, still retaining his dignity. He did have a reputation to uphold, as the thirteenth master of Hiten Mitsurugi Ryu, after all. However, now that he was beyond their sight, he ran with as much speed as he could muster. He had one destination in mind: Mt. Hiei.

It took Hiko about two and a half hours to reach Shishio's base. He could tell that a fire had raged through it, but had burned down to mostly embers in the eight hours since it had started. Hiko grabbed a piece of wood and stirred the embers until it caught fire, creating a makeshift torch. With less caution than he normally displayed, Hiko entered the hideout.

Hiko took the most straight forward path through the ruins, ignoring all the branching corridors. It seemed logical that Shishio would have faced Kenshin in the heart of the complex, forcing Kenshin to fight any additional fighters along the way before the two faced off.

After some minutes of hurrying through the virtually destroyed building, Hiko came to a dead end. The passage just stopped, opening to the side of the mountain. There were the beginnings of a bridge that abruptly stopped after about five feet. _This must be where Sanosuke said he fell,_ Hiko surmised. He cast out his senses, searching for the faintest glimmer of the aura that he knew so well. There was nothing.

Leaning over the edge of the bridge, he peered into the darkness, trying to determine how far below the ground was. Not being able to come to any conclusions, he took a different approach. Holding out his torch, he dropped it, following it with his eyes. The light was swallowed in the darkness, and he didn't hear it hit the ground. _It is unlikely that Kenshin could have survived that fall, were he in good condition. According to Sanosuke, he could barely walk,_ Hiko thought, grimly.

By the light of the moonlight, he could make out the total destruction of what was probably the arena where Kenshin and Shishio fought. Judging by the ruins, it must have been a huge structure, not brought down easily. The scorch marks on the walls and the fire within the hideout suggested that the explosions that finally toppled the structure were large and very violent. _Even if, by some miracle, he did survive the fall, it is impossible that he would have survived the explosions, _ Hiko thought, his head bowed in sorrow. He turned, and slowly made his way back through the ruins. Hiko could deny it no longer. There was no way he could have survived. Kenshin was dead.

. . .

Dawn found most of the people staying at the Shirobeko fast asleep, with no intention of waking for a few hours more. The previous night had been hectic. The police officer, who had insisted upon them going to the police hospital, had intercepted them as they were walking away from the Aoiya. He had two doctors with him, who had treated everyone's injuries upon arriving at the restaurant. It had taken awhile to get everyone settled into their rooms, and even longer for most to fall asleep.

So, it was surprising when Yahiko slowly got up, being mindful of his wounds, and dressed for the day. He tried to sneak out of the room quietly, but his current roommate's voice stopped him.

"And just where do you think you're sneaking off to?"

"None of your business. Go back to sleep, Sano."

Sanosuke sat up. "It is my business when Kaoru shoves her bokken down my throat for not finding out where her student ran off to," he replied.

Yahiko sighed. "I'm going to Mt. Hiei," he replied. He waited for Sano to try and stop him, telling him to accept the fact that Kenshin's dead and to move on. Therefore, he was surprised when Sano stood up and grabbed his jacket. "What're you doing, Sano?" he asked, confused.

"What do ya think? I'm going with you. Shishio's base is a maze. You'll get lost if you go by yourself."

"Not like you'll be any help," Yahiko muttered to himself as he walked through the door. He was actually glad that Sano was coming with him.

. . .

The trip to Mt. Hiei, although long, was uneventful and the path through the hideout straight forward to the point where Sano didn't even get lost. Yahiko eyed the damage around him as they walked, trying to convince himself that Kenshin could have survived. It wasn't until he almost ran into her, that he saw Kaoru.

He looked at her in surprise, but didn't say anything. She didn't seem to notice him, staring sadly at the scene before her. Her eyes were red, and there were trails of tears down her face, though she was no longer crying. Following her gaze, Yahiko's eyes widened at the destruction he saw. Sano's voice spoke up from behind them.

"Yesterday, at this time, that was standing. I don't know how far the ground is below us, but the top of the platform was about five stories above where we now stand. This bridge was the only way in or out. Kenshin was standing about twenty-three feet from this doorway when the bridge collapsed from underneath him."

Yahiko and Kaoru stood there, absorbing Sano's words as they took in the destruction around them. Last night it had seemed so unreal. Kenshin die? No way, he was too skilled for that. But now that they saw where it had taken place and the amount of damage caused, their beliefs wavered. Their minds replaced the question 'How could Kenshin die?' with 'How could Kenshin survive?'

They stood in silence, each lost in their own thoughts. Yahiko could no longer shy away from the truth: Kenshin wasn't coming back. He left, turning his back on the ruin, making his way back through the hideout with Kaoru and Sanosuke following behind him.

. . .

Yahiko was still walking in front of Kaoru and Sanosuke as they continued down the mountain. He was startled from his thoughts, as a figure appeared a little ways down the trail. He stopped, reflexively, until he recognized the white mantle. It was Seijuro Hiko XIII, Kenshin's master.

Remembering Hiko's callous words the previous night, Yahiko opened his mouth to give the swordsman a piece of his mind. Kaoru, noticing something different about Hiko, stopped Yahiko before he could say a word. He glared at her, but she ignored him, focusing instead on Hiko.

Down the path, Hiko seemed totally oblivious to their presence. He stood beside a small wooden shrine that stood on the side of the road. Withdrawing something from his cloak, he placed it inside the shrine. He then lighted a stick of incense, knelt down and prayed. After he had finished, he stood and returned the way he had come, silently disappearing into the bushes.

Unable to restrain their curiosity any longer, Kaoru, Yahiko and Sanosuke walked down to where Hiko had been standing but a moment before. The stick of incense still burned in the tray, one of the two items in the shrine.

"Why would Hiko leave a child-sized bokken in a shrine?" Sano asked, voicing the question on everyone's mind. They were all scrutinizing it, but they did not pick it up.

Yahiko was about to declare this incident as one of Hiko's weird habits, when something toward the base of the bokken caught his eye. Hunching down on his hands and knees, he tried to get a better look.

"What are you doing, Yahiko?" Kaoru asked.

"It looks like something's been carved on the bottom of it," Yahiko explained. "Probably carved by a child, from the poor hand-writing."

Both Kaoru and Sano leaned closer, curious. "What's it say?"

"It says…" Yahiko's voice trailed off as he leaned closer, squinting. His eyes widened a little bit and he sat up.

Kaoru was a little annoyed that he didn't answer her. "Well?" she demanded, impatiently.

"It's a name, Kaoru," Yahiko replied quietly. He stood and continued walking down the road. He turned back to Kaoru and Sano when they didn't follow.

"It says the name of it's previous owner. Himura Kenshin."

. . .

**To Be Continued**


	4. Awake

Disclaimer: If I owned it, this would be in the manga and anime and I wouldn't have to work at Walmart.

**Chapter 4**

Saito sat in his study, cleaning his sword. A few years back, Saito had Westernized his home. The sliding paper shoji were replaced with solid wooden doors; the mats replaced with chairs, and the futons with beds that were raised up off the ground.

Saito was currently seated behind a large oak desk, materials to clean his sword arranged around him while he meticulously wiped the blade with a soft cloth. He had not gotten a chance to properly clean and care for his weapon yesterday, so he was giving it extra attention today.

He had taken a few days off from work on the off chance that some of Kenshin's friends might stop by the police station. They thought he was dead, after all. _Unless that moron tells all his friend's about my survival, as well,_ Saito thought, annoyed. _Perhaps he will not remember that I was the one who carried him out... No, Battousai's not stupid. He'll realize that I was the only one who **could** have carried him out of there. Of course, if his friend's had any brains, they would realize that, since Battousai survived, the chances that I survived are pretty high. So much for my 'death'..._ Saito's thoughts were interrupted by a knock on the door.

"Enter," he said, not looking up from his sword.

Tokio opened the door and then stepped back, allowing Chou to enter the room. He walked over to the desk so that he was opposite the older man, waiting for Saito to give him his attention.

"What do you have to report?" Saito asked, his eyes still not leaving his sword. The clenching of his jaw was the only sign that Chou was annoyed by Saito's behavior, but he gave his report anyway.

"I just came from the police hospital. Battousai hasn't woken up yet, but the doctors' say that's to be expected, what with his condition an' all. It seems he has a pretty serious head injury, yes-sir-ee, an' they's worried that he might not remember too much," Chou said, smiling despite his earlier annoyance. He knew that Saito wanted to keep the fact that he was alive a secret.

Saito, for his part, didn't show any reaction whatsoever. He continued cleaning his blade, as if waiting for Chou to continue with his report. The blond man didn't have anything else to report, and just stood there silently, mentally cursing the man that was now his superior. _Why does Saito have to make everything so difficult?!_

Satisfied that Chou had given his full report, Saito gave him new orders. "I want you to watch Battousai. When he wakes up, you are to question him, finding out everything he remembers about what happened after Shishio was defeated. Only find out what he knows, do not prompt him with information or give away any details that he does not mention. You are to act as if the entire battle is news to you. Dismissed."

Chou was about to argue, but Saito looked up, catching his gaze. Chou held his tongue and stormed out of the room. Saito smirked as he heard Chou muttering to himself as he entered the hall. "Blasted Saito! As if I don't have enough to do, already! Why do I have to baby-sit Battousai?!"

. . .

Kaoru, Yahiko, Sano, Misao, and Okina were all gathered at the train station. It had been six days since Shishio's defeat, and they were going back to Tokyo. They said they were going home because Kyoto reminded them of Kenshin and why he was no longer with them. However, the truth of the matter was that Yahiko and Sano were starting to fear for Kaoru's sanity. Several times, when they were out walking on the streets, she had seen a flash of red out of the corner of her eye and chased it, firmly believing to have caught a glimpse of Kenshin's hair. She would find the red items rather quickly, but still scour the crowd and surrounding area, convinced that she had seen Kenshin. So, Yahiko and Sano had agreed that it would probably be best to return to Tokyo, and see if she fared any better there.

So, they stood on the platform, Kaoru and Misao hugging good-bye, while Yahiko and Okina tried not to laugh at Sano's obvious fear of trains. They were originally going to return by boat, but Okina had insisted that they take the train and allow him to pay for their tickets. In the end, they decided to go by train so they would arrive in Tokyo sooner. After all, they still had to break the news of Kenshin's death to Megumi, Gensai, Ayame and Suzume.

By the time they finally got Sanosuke on the train, it was almost time to depart. Sano sat, shivering in fear, next to a window while Kaoru and Yahiko stood at the back of the train. They waved goodbye to Misao and Okina, thanking them for all their help, until the station disappeared into the distance.

. . .

The first thing Kenshin noticed was a throbbing in his skull. As he became more aware, his body informed him of various other injuries on his person, causing him varying degrees of pain. His side and back throbbed, his chest burned and there was a slight ache in his shoulder. His body felt sluggish and stiff, as if he hadn't moved for days. He tried to recall an event or perhaps series of events that had led to his condition, but searching his memory only intensified the pain in his head. He quickly cleared his head, taking deep, slow breaths until the pain subsided to a manageable level.

For the first time, he became aware of other presences in the room. Hesitantly, he slowly opened his eyes, allowing them to adjust to the change in light slowly, so as to not worsen his headache. He then carefully turned his head to each side, surveying his surroundings while fighting down the nausea the movement had caused.

There was a row of beds, some occupied and some vacant, with people walking between the beds that were occupied. He was located in the far corner, furthest away from the door, and there weren't any people in the beds near him. Upon closer inspection, Kenshin realized that everyone who was in a bed was injured in some way. Kenshin, his mind taking a little longer to process the information than normal, abruptly realized that he was in a hospital.

_What am I doing in a hospital? I hate hospitals. Obviously, I've been injured. But, how did I obtain these injuries? Why can I not remember what happened?!_ Kenshin had to close his eyes and calm himself again as his headache intensified, along with the nausea tearing at his stomach. After they receded, he took another moment to steady himself before attempting to sit up.

Immediately, he realized this was a very bad idea. The room started spinning, going in and out of focus as the pain in his skull flared. He could not stop the nausea and his stomach contracted repeatedly, trying to rid itself of contents it did not have. This did not help his head in the slightest, bringing a new wave of throbbing anguish with each stomach movement. It took all of his will power not to cry out in pain, but he was unable to hold back his moans. He was vaguely aware of someone helping him lay back down, and something cool being pressed against his face. The throbbing within his skull overrode all of his other senses, making it impossible to focus on anything as he slipped back into the darkness.

. . .

As before, the first thing Kenshin noticed as he regained consciousness was the throbbing in his skull. His memory of what happened earlier came back to him, painfully clear, and he refrained from trying to sit up. Upon opening his eyes, he noticed it was now after dark. He also realized that he was no longer alone.

"Well, it's about time you woke up."

Turning his head carefully, Kenshin studied the man seated next to him. By the light of a candle, Kenshin could make out his blond hair standing tall, very tall, held back by a headband. One eye seemed to be permanently closed, although it didn't take away from the cockiness in his expression. He wore a red jacket with the sleeves torn off, and seemed to be carrying a lot of swords, although Kenshin did not sense any hostility in the man's ki. _Not like I would be able to defend myself if he wanted to hurt me, anyway,_ Kenshin thought sullenly, the events of earlier still fresh in his mind. He shook himself from his thoughts, turning his attention back to the man in front of him.

"What do you want?" Kenshin asked, getting straight to the point. He was in too much pain to get into a verbal sparring match with this person.

"Well, you sure are grumpy when you wake up, aren't ya? To tell you the truth, I wanna know how much you remember," the man said, leaning forward intently.

Kenshin's eyebrows raised in surprise before lowering in suspicion. There was something about this man that he didn't trust. "Who are you, that you should merit an answer from me?" Kenshin replied, guardedly.

The man looked genuinely surprised, but then he smiled almost triumphantly. "Who am I, you ask? Thank you, that's all Ah' needed to know. See ya around, Battousai," he said, standing and walking from the room.

Kenshin stared after him, perplexed. _He knows I was Battousai. But, I've never seen him before! Unless--_ Kenshin's eyes widened as he realized something. _He was asking about what happened. It is possible that I met him sometime during the gap in my memory. But, what part does he play in this? We are obviously not friends, that much is certain. If he was an enemy, I doubt he would have hesitated to strike me down where I lay. But, he seemed satisfied with the answer I gave him. Why? It seemed that my admission to not knowing him was enough to answer his question. But, what could have happened that he would be happy I don't remember it? It doesn't make sense!_ Deciding such matters could wait until morning, Kenshin closed his eyes and went back to sleep.

. . .

**To Be Continued**


	5. Nightmare

Disclaimer: If I owned it, this would be in the manga and anime and I wouldn't have to work at Walmart.

**Chapter 5**

After receiving reports that Kenshin's friends had left Kyoto, Saito had returned to work. It was already dark outside, but Saito had stayed late the last night, and again tonight, trying to catch up on all the paper work that had piled up in his absence. Someone knocked on the door to his office.

"Enter," he said, contemplating how he would kill the intruder if he they did not have a valid reason for disturbing him.

The door opened to reveal Chou, who sauntered in and sat in the chair in front of Saito's desk. "Ah' just had myself a little chat with the Battousai," Chou said, smiling. Clearly, he was very pleased with himself.

Saito grunted in response. "It took him eight days to wake up?" he asked, disdain apparent in his voice. Chou nodded and continued. "Yup, and he don't remember a thing."

Saito looked at Chou shrewdly. _If Battousai woke up, wounded, in a hospital with no memory of how he had been injured, he would not give out such information freely-- especially not to one such as Chou,_ Saito thought, looking Chou up and down critically. Chou squirmed under the scrutiny.

"He told you that he didn't remember anything?" Saito asked, casually.

Chou looked to the side. "Well, not in those words, maybe..." he said, trailing off.

"Did he tell you what he does remember, then?" Saito continued, lighting a cigarette.

"Well, no..."

Saito sighed in annoyance. _Why do I have to have all the morons working for me?_ he demanded, silently. "Can you remember what he _did_ say?" Saito asked, his lack of trust in Chou's abilities obvious.

"He didn't know who Ah' was! Ah' fought him right after he came to Kyoto! If he don't remember me, then he don't remember anything else he did here, either!" Chou said, becoming defensive.

Saito resisted the urge to massage his temples. Working with stupid people always gave him a headache. "I didn't ask what other assumptions you made. I asked what he said," Saito replied, his patience all but gone.

Chou recognized the warning in his tone. "Ah' asked him what he remembered and he asked who I was that he should give me an answer, or somethin' like that," Chou replied.

"Even if he doesn't remember fighting you, he may still remember Shishio. He wouldn't need amnesia to forget a weak fighter like you," Saito said, leaning back in his chair and taking a drag on his cigarette.

"What?!" Chou practically shouted, standing up in offense.

"Compared to him, you're not even an average fighter. Get over it," Saito said, not moving from his relaxed position. "I want you to find out how much he _does_ remember, and report back to me. Dismissed."

Chou stood there a moment longer, before storming out of the room, slamming the door behind him. Saito smiled, suddenly feeling better.

. . .

Kenshin awoke as he heard someone enter the room. Opening his eyes, he judged it to be about an hour after sunrise, given the amount of light streaming through the window. Carefully turning his head, he watched as two attendants methodically checked their patients' wounds and changed the bandages, starting at the furthest end and working their way towards him. Kenshin cringed at the idea of being at the mercy of two unknown people in the state he was in, but realized that he didn't have much choice in the matter.

Resigned to his fate, Kenshin closed his eyes and passed the time by listening to the sounds coming in through the window. The city was starting to come to life. He could hear vendors calling out their wares, trying to get some sales. Gradually, almost unnoticeably, the sounds of the crowds increased as more people came out of their homes: people greeting each other, talking conversationally, little children running around playing, mothers scolding them for their behavior.

So focused was he on the sounds outside, that he almost missed someone approaching his bed. Their sandals scraped on the floor as they neared his bed and Kenshin opened his eyes.

"Oh, good, you're awake."

Kenshin slowly turned his head and studied the man. He was an older man, closed-cropped hair almost completely grey. He was clean-shaven, and the lines on his face indicated he smiled a lot. His back was bent with age and he wore a simple light blue gi with a grey hakama. All in all, he seemed like a decent person. He was also carrying a tray of food.

Kenshin eyed the tray dubiously. He didn't particularly feel like eating, but his previous experience dealing with people of the medical profession had taught him several things. One was that if they said you needed to eat, you were going to eat, even if they had to force-feed you.

The doctor, seeing Kenshin's expression, laughed. "Don't worry, son. It's not poisoned. Besides, you need to eat."

There were the feared words. _Well, my stomach is somewhat more settled than it was before. Perhaps I will be able to eat a little bit,_ he thought. It was then he discovered that while he could move his arms somewhat, he could not do so with enough coordination to feed himself. _Why am I so weak?!_ he thought angrily. His wounds had weakened him considerably, but they would not have done so to this extent. Something else had caused him to lose his energy.

The doctor, seeing Kenshin's dilemma and confusion, took a seat on a stool near the head of the bed. "I'm sorry, but I don't think you are capable of feeding yourself just yet. You've been unconscious for almost nine days. We have barely been able to get you to take water and broth; anything of sustenance was out of the question. Your body is bound to be a little weak," the doctor explained, his tone soothing.

Kenshin was stunned. _Nine days?! I've been unconscious for almost nine days?! What happened?!_ Kenshin opened his mouth to voice his questions, and the doctor took the opportunity to stick some food in it.

Kenshin's surprise shown clearly upon his face as he reflexively chewed the food. The doctor looked at him sternly. "Eat first, questions later. Understood?"

Kenshin nodded and swallowed. The food was surprisingly good, and his stomach didn't complain at all. In fact, Kenshin was a little surprised to realize just how hungry he was. _Well, I haven't eaten in nine days, after all. It's to be expected,_ he thought.

After the meal was over, Kenshin decided it was time for some answers. "Where am I?" he asked, his voice a little weaker than he would have liked.

The doctor gave him a strange look. "You're in the hospital, son," he replied, as if talking to a child.

Kenshin resisted the urge to roll his eyes. "I mean, what city am I in?" he asked, rephrasing the question.

Now the doctor looked at him a little worriedly. Belatedly, he realized this particular patient had a head injury, which could have resulted in memory loss. Ignoring the red head's question for the moment, he began the interrogation. "Do you remember your name, son?"

Kenshin knew what the doctor was doing. Sighing, he decided to go along with it. After all, he wouldn't get any answers until the doctor was finished with his questions. "Rurouni."

"A wandering swordsman?" the doctor asked, taken by surprise. Well, that proved that the red head had some of his memories, at least. The doctor disliked prying into people's pasts, so he opted for another approach. "Can you tell me what year it is, son?" he asked.

"Tenth year of the Meiji," Kenshin answered, becoming annoyed at being called 'son'. He knew the doctor meant well, but it was still somewhat of a touchy subject. He didn't look _that_ young, after all. "Please, I answered both of your questions, and you have yet to answer the only one I've asked. What city is this?" Kenshin asked again, a little irritation creeping into his voice.

The doctor had the decency to look chagrined at his lack of manners. Gathering the tray and empty dishes, he stood. "You are in Kyoto, my boy," he said, turning and walking towards the other side of the room, missing Kenshin's reaction to that simple statement.

Kenshin's eyes had widened in surprise and his face became a little pale. "Kyoto?" he whispered. _I wake up in the hospital, wounds covering my body, in **Kyoto**, of all places, with no memory as to how I came to be here. Could the situation be any worse? What has happened?!_ Kenshin thought, desperately.

. . .

**To Be Continued**


	6. Consequences

Disclaimer: If I owned it, this would be in the manga and anime and I wouldn't have to work at Walmart.

**Chapter 6**

After being fed by the doctor, Kenshin fell asleep again. When he woke, it was a little past lunch. While there was a still dull ache in his chest, back, and shoulder, his head felt immensely better than it had previously. Feeling somewhat stronger than he had the past day, he couldn't resist testing his limits.

He slowly pushed himself up onto his elbows, being mindful of his body's reaction. He was careful not to pull at any of the injuries, although his headache did increase. He held that position for a few seconds more until his headache subsided, and then pushed himself up into a sitting position. His headache flared once again, but he didn't feel nauseous and took this as a good sign. The pounding in his head receded, and he scooted back until he could lean against the wall. He smiled, clearly pleased with his progress. He considered trying to stand, but quickly discounted the idea. He knew that he would only injure himself further in the process. Also, the doctor had noticed his activities and was heading towards him, tray in hand.

"Feeling better, are we?" he asked, noting the smile Kenshin couldn't quite conceal.

"Yes, I am feeling much better, that I am," Kenshin replied.

The doctor nodded. "Good. Here's your lunch. I'm sorry if it's a little cold, but I thought it better to let you rest, and eat later when you woke up."

Kenshin thanked the doctor and began his meal. Leaning against the wall put pressure on the sword wound in Kenshin's back, increasing the pain it caused him. He tried to ignore it, but it just got worse. He started squirming around, trying to find a less painful position. After he was finished, the doctor took the tray and went into another room.

A few minutes later, he re-emerged, holding a steaming cup in his hand. He had noticed Kenshin's squirming and realized the reason for it.

He walked over and handed to cup to Kenshin. The redhead took it, looking at the doctor curiously.

"That'll help with the pain in your back," he said, by way of explanation.

Kenshin looked at him, blankly. "Pain?" he asked, pretending he didn't know what the doctor was talking about.

The doctor gave him a look that clearly said 'Don't give me that,' saying aloud, "Young man, I've treated a fair amount of samurai in my day. Their pride won't allow them to show any outward appearance of pain, but the signs are there for those who know where to look."

Kenshin didn't like the fact that this doctor had been able to read him so easily. Feeling this was one fight he could not win, he conceded defeat by taking a sip of the tea. It was surprisingly good, for being medicine.

The doctor nodded his approval, then turned as he heard the door open. "Oh, it appears that Officer Chou is back to see you, again," he said.

_Officer Chou?_ Kenshin thought, turning to see who it was. He nearly choked on his tea, although he showed no outward sign of it except for the slight widening of his eyes. _**That** is a policeman?!_ he thought, incredulously.

Chou walked over to Kenshin's bed, taking a seat on the doctor's recently vacated stool. The doctor himself had gone to tend to his other patients, giving them privacy for their conversation.

_I don't feel like talking to him again_, Kenshin thought, sullenly. Policeman or not, Kenshin did not trust this man. The fact that Kenshin was utterly helpless to defend himself did not help matters in the slightest. His mind was trying to come up with an excuse to make the officer leave. His mind came up with a blank on that account, but started forming an alternate solution. _Oh, well. He's here -- why not make the most of it? _

Kenshin smiled. He had learned, shortly after becoming a rurouni, a smile can be almost as unnerving as showing no emotion at all. When you smile in a situation where it is out of place, people wonder what you are up to. Chou was no exception. His expression was one of confusion, which quickly changed to wariness. He scooted back on the stool a little bit, unconsciously moving out of Kenshin's range. He almost looked defensive.

Kenshin had to keep himself from chuckling. _What does he honestly expect me to do? I can't even stand!_ Kenshin thought, amused by Chou's reactions. He spoke before Chou could get a handle on the situation.

"Good morning. Actually, I suppose it is afternoon now, isn't it? I seem to have slept the morning away. I am sorry about before -- you caught me in a bit of a bad moment, that you did," Kenshin said, cheerfully. Chou was staring at Kenshin as if he'd sprouted another head.

_It's so fun to catch people off-guard,_ Kenshin thought, starting to enjoy himself. He decided to see if he couldn't get some information out of Chou.

"You know," he continued, not giving Chou any time to regroup his scattered thoughts, "I never would have thought that you would be a policeman, Chou. You just don't seem the type, that you don't."

Chou smirked, as if he had just gained the upper hand in the conversation. Kenshin was a little surprised by the reaction. He had just been shooting arrows in the dark, but it seemed to hit a mark. The only question was, did Kenshin inadvertently reveal something about himself? _I can only wait and see how this plays out,_ he thought, his smile never faltering.

"What, you didn't think that someone you beat could become an officer of the law? Just goes to show how corrupt this Meiji government is. Everyone captured in the Juppongatana was offered under-the-table-deals. Most took em', too. 'Cept for Houji -- they're tryin' to cut a deal, but he's too loyal to Shishio-sama," Chou drawled, leaning back a little farther, placing his heads behind his head. He was enjoying having the upper hand in the conversation.

"Shishio?!"

Chou cursed as he lost his balance and fell backwards off the stool. He had a feeling he had said something he shouldn't have. Looking up, his fears were confirmed. Kenshin's smile was gone, replaced by a searching look. It seemed as if Kenshin could see right into his mind. The only other person who could make Chou so uncomfortable with one look was Saito.

Chou swore again as he picked himself up off the floor and left, doing his best to ignore Kenshin's eyes boring into his back. Oh, Saito was not going to be happy about this.

Although outwardly composed as he sipped his tea, Kenshin's mind was racing. He watched Chou leave, going over every word uttered and imprinting it in his mind. _Okay, I now know that I fought, and defeated, Chou before. I'm not sure when, but it must have been fairly recently. He mentioned something called the **Juppongatana**, whatever that is. And Houji. Neither of those words mean anything to me. But, Shishio? Is it possible, that he was talking about Shishio Makoto? I recall hearing rumors of his death some time ago. Could he have survived, somehow? Or were the rumors just that? How is he involved with all of this? How am **I** involved in this...?_ The little information Kenshin had gained from Chou had left him with more questions than answers.

. . .

Saito leaned back in his chair, relaxed. He was sitting in his office, cigarette in hand, with a triumphant smirk on his lips. After Chou's last bungled attempt to find out how much Kenshin remembered, Saito had decided to take a different approach. Apparently, one still couldn't get any information from Battousai through interrogation. Chou had obviously made Battousai feel threatened, and less likely to give out any information, especially if it made him vulnerable.

It was a fact that Chou wouldn't be able to get any information from Battousai. There was only, in all actuality, one person who might be able to answer Saito's question, aside from Battousai himself: the doctor who was taking care of him.

Saito hadn't realized this until he'd had a chance to think about it. So the next morning after Chou's report, Saito called another officer into his office. Saito's instructions were simple: Go to the hospital, talk privately with the doctor taking care of Battousai and find out how much Battousai remembers.

The officer had left immediately, and had returned about an hour ago with the information. Apparently, Battousai thought it was the tenth year of the Meiji as opposed to the eleventh. That meant he didn't even remember that Saito was a policeman now. _He probably doesn't even know if I'm alive,_ Saito thought, smirking. Nothing could ruin his good mood.

There was a knock on his door. Sitting up, scowl in place (can't ruin his reputation), Saito looked at the door. "Enter."

The door opened, revealing Chou, who looked as if he wished he were anywhere but there. It was obvious he had bad news.

"What have you done wrong this time?" Saito asked, clearly annoyed.

Chou took a seat, looking anywhere but at Saito. "Ah' let some information slip to Battousai," he said, his tone a little more subdued than usual.

Saito sighed, mentally, wondering why he had employed someone as incompetent as Chou under his command. His mind supplied the answer immediately. He was the only officer on the force who could defeat Chou and, therefore, the only one who could control him. _Sometimes it's difficult, being so skilled._ Aloud, he said, "What all did you tell him?" He needed to find out how much damage had been done.

"Ah' mentioned Shishio-sama's name."

Saito waited for Chou to continue. "And?" he prompted.

"And that's it. Ah' also mentioned the Juppongatana, but he remembered about them."

Saito knew for a fact that Kenshin had not known about the Juppongatana before his discussion with Chou. _Incompetent **and** unobservant. Serves me right for sending him, I suppose,_ Saito thought. Aloud he said, "Did you make any reference to me?"

Chou, sensing that he hadn't made as big a mess as he had thought, smirked. "No-sir-ree. Ah' didn't let _that_ much information slip. If he don't remember ya, then he don't know about ya."

_Miracles never cease. Chou actually did something right -- or, at least, kept from doing something **completely** wrong,_ Saito amended his thought. He noticed Chou's confident smirk. _You're not getting off that easily. Oh, no. Just because you didn't mess up completely, does not mean that you didn't mess up..._ Saito's thought trailed off.

Saito stood up, still scowling. Chou followed suit, his own smirk disappearing. With long strides, Saito crossed the room towards the door, motioning Chou to follow him. They exited the police station and soon left the city limits, Chou having a little difficulty keeping up with Saito's brisk pace. Chou thought about asking where they were heading but -- after looking at Saito's face -- decided he didn't want to know.

After about forty-five minutes of walking, Saito turned off the road, plunging into the forest. About five minutes of pushing through the undergrowth, and they reached a small clearing. Saito studied it critically, then nodded his head in approval.

"This will do. You go over to the other side."

Chou did as he was told; however, he could restrain his curiosity no longer. "What are we doing here?" he asked, as he reached his position and turned to face Saito. He was more than a little afraid to see Saito unsheathe his sword.

The former captain of the Shinsengumi smirked at him, almost evilly. "I needed a sparring partner," he explained simply, sinking into the stance for Gatoutsu.

. . .

**To Be Continued**


	7. Escape

Disclaimer: If I owned it, this would be in the manga and anime and I wouldn't have to work at Walmart.

**Chapter 7**

After Chou's visit, Kenshin went over all the information he had gained, trying to make sense of it, or trigger some memories. He could come up with nothing, and finally gave up. _I wish I had controlled myself better. If I had not said anything when he mentioned Shishio's name, then I might have been able to gain more information. I suppose I'll just have to wait until he comes back,_ Kenshin thought, angry with himself.

A few hours later, the doctor approached Kenshin, deciding it was time to enlighten his patient about his condition. "Rurouni, there is something I need to tell you about your head injury," the doctor started, not wanting to traumatize Kenshin with the details of his memory loss. Finding out that you've lost a year's worth of memories can be quite a bit to take in all at once.

Kenshin, guessing the doctor's intentions, smiled. "I already know. I've suffered a bit of memory loss, yes?" he asked.

"Well, I'd qualify it as a little more than a 'bit'," the doctor said.

Kenshin just kept smiling, "Hai, I know I've lost a good-sized portion of my memory. But, unless you can tell me what happened during that time, I don't think there's much that either of us can do at this point," Kenshin replied. He figured that he must have lost at least a month's worth of memories, maybe two. After all, if Shishio came back, started causing trouble, and the issue has already been resolved, then a good amount of time had to have been erased from his memories.

The doctor smiled, relieved that his patient was reacting to the news so well. _Indeed, someone must have already told him. Well, that makes my job easier. It's nice that he's not going into hysterics, like some people do..._ the doctor's thought trailed off, as he walked away to tend to his other patients.

. . .

The next day, Chou walked into the police station. He received more than a few curious glances for several reasons. One, he was more limping than walking, noticeably favoring his left side. Two, he was covered in minor cuts and bruises, and his arm was pressed tightly against the right side of his ribs, as if it caused him pain. To be honest, he looked like every member of the local yakuza had ganged up on him.

Slowly, he walked through the police station, heading towards an office in the back. Although he tried to school his emotions to be unreadable, fear -- mixed with some apprehension -- could clearly be seen on his face. His pace seemed to slow down as he drew nearer his destination, until finally he came to a stop outside of a door. Hesitantly, he raised his hand and, being careful not to hit any of the bruises, tapped on the door, gently.

"Enter," came the muffled reply.

Chou opened the door, and stepped inside. Saito was sitting behind his desk, cigarette in hand, looking over some paperwork. His head was bent low so Chou couldn't see his smile. It felt good to have people fear him.

"Ah' came to see about any assignments ya'll have for me today," Chou said, a little apprehensively. After the sparring match yesterday, Chou was walking on eggshells around Saito, trying not to get him upset again. The blond desperately hoped he didn't have to go back to talk to Kenshin again. He couldn't take another sparring match against Saito so soon after the last one.

Although Chou took most of the damage, he did get a few good hits in. The wounds on Saito's legs were still healing, which hurt his speed. Chou got several solid hits in, but Saito controlled his features very well, not even alerting Chou to the agony he had caused. Still, Saito's attacks had been particularly vicious after Chou had managed to land a hit, ensuring the younger man regretted doing so. No, Chou wouldn't dare to fail in another assignment anytime soon.

Saito leaned back in his chair, taking a long drag on his cigarette, and making a show of considering what he was going to have Chou do. Chou was fidgeting uncomfortably, dreading what Saito would say. After watching Chou squirm for a minute, Saito smirked. "I assigned another officer to find out how much Battousai remembered and, luckily for you, he returned yesterday with -- adequate results," Saito said, watching for Chou's reaction. There was relief, that much was obvious, but the implications of what that meant hadn't set in. Eventually Chou would realize that Saito had already had the information about Battousai's memory before Chou had talked with the red head, and let slip the information. Saito was sorry he wouldn't be present to witness Chou's reaction when he did realize that, but the fear of failing another assignment was enough for now.

Saito picked up the packet of papers he'd been looking over when Chou had come in, and tossed it to the other side of his desk, towards Chou. "I have a case I want you to investigate..."

. . .

Two weeks passed rather slowly for Kenshin. Chou had not come back, and Kenshin had given up trying to figure out anything pertaining to his lost memories for now. Although, another officer had come and given a fair amount of money to Kenshin. When questioned what it was for, the officer just replied that it was pay for his services in helping against the most recent threat against the government. Kenshin pressed the issue further, but the young man hadn't known anything of value. Whatever had happened, it had taken place out of the general public's view.

The officer had also given Kenshin a sword, stating that he had orders to return it to him. Kenshin had known immediately that it was not his sword and had tried to refuse it. "I have not held a katana in over ten years," he said, not making any move to take the offered blade.

"I wouldn't qualify this as a katana," the officer said in disgust, pulling the blade from its sheath.

Kenshin's eyes widened at the sight of the sakabato. He reached for and took it carefully, noting the slight difference in weight as it rested in his hand. _This is not my sword,_ he thought as he shifted the sword experimentally. _It's slightly better balanced than my other sword. It almost seems to be a superior version of my sakabato! But how...? Sir Shakku! It must have been him! But, what happened to my other sword?_ Kenshin accepted the sword, and the officer left.

Kenshin was restless, and he wanted to get out of the hospital and out of Kyoto altogether. The doctors were stifling him, insisting he be on strict bed rest, barely allowing him to get up to go to the bathroom. Kenshin's wounds were healed enough for him to travel with relatively little difficulty, but the doctors insisted he remain in the hospital. Kenshin couldn't take much more of this confinement.

Thoughts of escape had been occupying the majority of Kenshin's thoughts for the past two days, but he wasn't so rash that he'd just leave with no thought of where to go. He would need to purchase some food fit for traveling, as he wasn't planning on staying in Kyoto for any longer than necessary. He also needed a destination. Having given this matter a lot of thought, he had narrowed it down to two possible destinations: Tsurugo or Nagoya. Tsurugo was closer, but more time on the road meant more time to find clearings to practice in. He had barely moved from bed in over three weeks and his body was in desperate need of exercise. He decided to leave this decision up to chance -- whichever road was closer to the store where he purchased his supplies would be the one he took.

The next morning, he woke up early, before the sun was up. It was time. He dressed quickly and quietly, not wanting to wake any of the other patients. He stored the money he had received in the sleeve of his gi, and put his sword through his belt. Silently, he walked towards the door to the hall and looked out. As always, there was a nurse on duty, ever ready to help any ailing patients or call for the doctor, if the situation was bad enough. Kenshin quietly moved back into the room and over to the window.

It was a warm enough night, so the windows had been left open to allow a breeze in. Looking out the window, Kenshin noticed the sky beginning to lighten. He didn't have much time. Soon the doctors would arrive. He would not fight them to gain his freedom, but he didn't want to have to run from them through Kyoto, especially when he still needed to purchase supplies.

The window wasn't overly large, but Kenshin would have no problems fitting through it. Checking to make sure no one was on the street, he slipped through the window and dropped silently to the ground. Without a second thought, he slipped into one of the back alleys and disappeared into the shadows.

. . .

It took Kenshin a little longer than anticipated to find the market place. Kyoto had changed a lot in the past ten years. This worked to his advantage, however, as the sun had risen and people were just starting to open shop. He picked out a store that would suit his needs and purchased several water skins and a bit more food than necessary. He usually only purchased enough to keep himself alive, if a little hungry. It had been a long time since he had a large amount of money, and he decided he could splurge, if only a little. The shop owner, noticing what Kenshin was buying, commented on it.

"Doing a bit of traveling, are ya?" he asked as Kenshin carefully stored all the food in a bag he had also purchased.

"Hai," Kenshin said, keeping his head low to hide his scar. This was Kyoto, after all.

"Where're ya headed to, if ya don't mind my askin'?" the clerk continued, sweeping out his shop.

"Well, I'm sort of going on an impulsive vacation," Kenshin lied, easily. "I haven't really decided where, yet. Could you tell me which road is closer, the road to Tsurugo or the road to Nagoya?"

"The road to Tsurugo is more toward the north side of town. As it happens, if you continue heading east down this road, it's the road you take to Nagoya," the clerk said, nodding his head at the road.

Kenshin thanked the clerk, and headed east out of town, towards Nagoya.

. . .

Back in Tokyo, things hadn't quite gotten back to normal. The dojo had been repaired, but hearts can't be fixed as quickly. Kaoru couldn't bring herself to tell Megumi and Gensai about Kenshin, leaving the grim task to Sano. Megumi had broken down and cried in his arms, while Gensai had just stood there in shock. After everyone had settled down somewhat, Gensai had told Sano that he would break the news of Kenshin's death to his granddaughters, and Megumi agreed to help him.

Later that evening, Gensai and Megumi were sitting on the porch at the clinic with Suzume sitting in Gensai's lap and Ayame on Megumi's lap. The girls didn't understand the concept of death, so Gensai finally settled on the explanation that Kenshin had gone to a better place.

Suzume turned to look at her grandfather. "Why did he want to go to a better place? What's wrong with this place?" she asked.

"There's nothing wrong with this place," Gensai said, gently.

"Then why did he want to go to a better place? Was it something we did? We're sorry we yelled at him when he almost dropped the ball. We didn't mean it! Is he mad at us?" Suzume asked, her eyes filling with tears. Ayame was crying as well. Both of them were afraid it was because of them that Kenshin had left.

Gensai, not sure what she was talking about, quickly reassured her. "No, no, it's nothing you did, child. He could never be angry with you or your sister, you know that. It was just time for him to leave."

Ayame looked up at Megumi, her eyes wide. "Will Ken-nii-san ever come back?" she asked.

Megumi's eyes filled with tears, and her throat constricted. "I don't think so, little one," she whispered.

Ayame's eyes filled with tears again, and she wrapped her arms around Megumi's neck, crying into her hair. Megumi's barriers broke, and she wrapped her arms around Ayame and rocked her gently back and forth, silently crying with the child.

. . .

Sano had come to check on Kaoru fairly regularly in the three weeks following their return to Tokyo. Kaoru was back to her normal self most of the time. However, she still couldn't bring herself to do the laundry or cook, although the latter wasn't a big loss to the other resident of the dojo. She also couldn't bring herself to enter Kenshin's room. Yahiko would sometimes find her standing in front of the door, just staring at it as if she wanted to open it, but was afraid to.

Tae had also noticed Kaoru's behavior and decided to do something about it. Tae had talked to Yahiko about her plan and he agreed. Kaoru needed to go on a vacation to somewhere that had nothing to do with Kenshin. Yahiko had agreed, but had pointed out that the trip to Kyoto had expended all their finances. Tae said that she'd pay for the trip, as Kaoru's friend.

Sano had been brought in on the plan, and he suggested that Megumi go, to keep an eye on Kaoru. After all, Kaoru thought she was seeing Kenshin around every corner in Kyoto. Megumi agreed, and made arrangements.

They didn't give Kaoru any time to react when they announced the trip. She didn't really feel like going on another trip, but between Megumi's taunting, Sano's pleading and Yahiko's arguing, every argument she tried was quickly shot down. They were out the door and on the road almost before she was finished packing.

. . .

Kenshin estimated it would take him four or five days to reach Nagoya, as he planned to stop and practice frequently. The first few practice sessions, although they left him tired and more than a little sore, went much more smoothly than he had anticipated. Three weeks in bed hadn't decreased his abilities nearly as much as he had feared and, if he kept up a rigorous training schedule, he would be back to full strength in no time.

Aside from his training, the trip passed relatively uneventfully. He didn't pass any other people on the road, but that wasn't very unusual. After all, it was towards the end of summer and the hottest time of the year. He was relieved when he reached Nagoya on the sixth day after leaving Kyoto. He had taken more time to practice than he had realized, but it didn't make much difference to him. After all, he had no place that he had to be. Deciding to stay here for a day or two, he began looking for an inn.

. . .

**To Be Continued**


	8. Lost

Disclaimer: If I owned it, this would be in the manga and anime and I wouldn't have to work at Walmart.

**Chapter 8**

The three-day trip to Kofu had been horrible. _They just **had** to decide they wanted to go on vacation during the **hottest** time of the year, and they just **couldn't** leave me behind!_ Kaoru thought, not for the first time, as the group walked along the dusty road. Sano was walking ahead of her, seemingly unaffected by the heat. Yahiko complained loudly, until she had reminded him that this trip was all their idea to begin with. Megumi, surprisingly, seemed to be having little more trouble than Sano was. That had not helped Kaoru's foul mood in the slightest.

It was normally a two-day trip from Tokyo to Kofu, but frequent breaks were taken, due to the heat, and that ended up adding another day to their trip. Kaoru's temper was shorter than normal due to her discomfort, a fact that did not go unnoticed by anyone else in the group. Needless to say, they were all very relieved to reach Kofu.

Unfortunately, they were only planning on staying in Kofu for a few days before continuing on to Ontako. The plan was to travel from Tokyo to Iakayama and back, traveling through Kofu, Ontako and Yatsugatake along the way. The entire trip shouldn't take more than a month.

This was their third day in Kofu, and none of them were particularly looking forward to getting back on the road. It would probably take them another three days to reach Ontako and Kaoru wasn't proving to be one of the best people to travel with. This was why they were each trying to come up with ways to prolong their stay in Kofu.

. . .

Kenshin awoke feeling refreshed. He had arrived in Nagoya last night, the trip from Kyoto taking him six days. It had been a long time since he had slept in an inn, and he had decided that he could afford the luxury. Wanting to do a little sightseeing, he left the inn to familiarize himself with the town. After all, if anyone had a temporary position open, he might be staying here for a while.

Before Kenshin could take five steps away from the inn, he heard a commotion behind him. Turning, he saw that there was an older policeman running towards him, yelling.

"Hold it right there! Swords are illegal!"

"Oro?!" Kenshin's eyes widened as he realized exactly whom that comment was directed to. It took a few seconds before his mind kicked into gear and he started running away from the aged policeman. It was quite a comic sight, an old officer huffing as he tried to catch a panicked young man with a sword, running through the streets.

Turning a corner, Kenshin came to a crowded street. Without any hesitation, Kenshin plunged into the crowd, easily losing the officer in the throng of people. Knowing his red hair wouldn't allow him to remain lost for long, Kenshin ducked into an alley and watched from the shadows as the aged policeman searched the crowd fruitlessly.

Deciding he was safe enough, Kenshin walked down the alley and away from the crowded street. "Even though swords were banned several years ago, I haven't really had any problems with officers of the law before. Maybe this isn't such a good town for me to stay in," Kenshin said, speaking to himself out of habit. He had discovered that people viewed him as being weird, as opposed to dangerous, when he did things like that, and had made a habit of it.

Kenshin wandered around aimlessly, taking in all the sights and sounds of the city. The smell of the sea was becoming stronger, as Kenshin soon found himself in the harbor. Standing on the seawall overlooking the harbor, he had a pretty good view of everything going on beneath him. He watched as some sailors unloaded their cargo, separating it into piles on the dock. Another ship was starting to depart, people waving and yelling their goodbyes to their loved ones that were departing.

Kenshin took delight in just watching people go about their normal lives, taking for granted the peace that they enjoyed. He sighed, leaning against the rail, watching a group of children playing amongst the crates. _I could stand here and watch these people all day long,_ he thought.

"There you are! You're not going to get away from me that easily!"

"Oro?!" Kenshin's head jerked up, turning towards the voice. He saw the old policeman running down the street to where Kenshin was standing. _Or perhaps it would be more prudent, if I left,_ he thought, his feet carrying him in the opposite direction.

"Don't move! Stay where you are! I'm warning you!" the old man wheezed.

Kenshin ran, noticing that he had reached the city limits. There were fields on either side of the road, several people tending them. Looking back, he noticed the officer still following him. "So persistent," Kenshin said. That evoked a strange sense of deja vu, but Kenshin ignored it.

Whispering a quick apology, Kenshin turned and ran across the field, being careful not to step on any of the plants. Normally, he would have kept running until the officer gave up, but it occurred to him that he needed to purchase a bit more food before he left town, and he had left his things at the inn.

As anticipated, the officer followed him across the field. When he reached the other side, Kenshin turned and ran back towards the town. As he reached the center of the town, he ducked into an alley and jumped up onto the roof of one of the buildings. He waited, out of sight, as the officer turned the corner after him and ran right on past.

Having gotten a pretty good layout of the town from running through it all morning, Kenshin made his way back to the inn via the rooftops. He quickly gathered his things and made his way towards the marketplace, being careful to use back alleys and stay out of sight, while keeping an eye for his most recent shadow.

Kenshin headed into a grocery shop, purchasing the necessary items for his trip. He had decided on his next destination while he was being chased.

"Excuse me, could you tell me which road I would take to travel to Ontako?" Kenshin asked the shopkeeper as he paid for the items.

"Ontako? Let me see, that's north of here, right?" he asked. Kenshin nodded and he continued. "Well, go down this street and take a left when you come to a restaurant, I can't think of the name right now. Anyway, continue on that street until you come across the police station. There, you take a right and follow that road out of town."

_It figures I'd have to go past the police station,_ Kenshin thought, ironically. He thanked the shopkeeper and left. He followed the directions for the most part, taking a detour around the police station. Fortunately, he made it onto the correct road and didn't run into any more dedicated policemen. A little past noon the day after he arrived in Nagoya, Kenshin was on his way to Ontako.

. . .

Kenshin had walked the rest of that day and all day the next. It would be dark soon, and he believed that it would be well after dark before he reached the town. Normally he would make camp and continue in the morning, but dark rain clouds had blown in during the afternoon, and he didn't want to be caught out in the storm. As it was, it appeared as if he was going to get drenched either way, but if he kept going, at least he'd be able to wait out the storm inside.

Kenshin was distracted from his musings as he heard a rustling in the bushes up ahead, a little ways away from the road. Going through the list of things that might be responsible for the noise, Kenshin settled on bandits. They would often lay in wait for unsuspecting travelers.

Kenshin didn't think he'd been spotted yet, as the bandits were walking around, so he carefully hid his belongings before making his way silently through the brush. The bandits were trying to step lightly, but Kenshin could easily hear where they were. He quietly came up behind them, and stopped, lowering his hand from his sword. _I'm getting paranoid,_ Kenshin thought, eyeing the scene in front of him.

Walking through the bushes, hand in hand, were two little children. The older one, a boy, was leading the little girl through the bushes, trying to act like he knew where he was going. They looked to be about four and five years of age. It was obvious that they were lost and scared.

"It's a little late to be out walking around," Kenshin said, alerting them to his presence.

Immediately, the children whirled around to face him. The boy let go of the girl's hand and grabbed a stick off of the ground. He stood in front of the girl protectively. "Stay away! Don't come any closer, I'm warning you!" he said, threatening Kenshin with the stick.

Fighting the urge to laugh, Kenshin smiled at them, and bowed to the little boy. "Gomen. I didn't mean to startle you. I was just wondering what you two would be doing out this late. It can be dangerous after dark, that it can," Kenshin said, making no move towards them. If he was to help them, he would need to earn their trust and to do that he needed to appear non-threatening.

The little boy was astounded that Kenshin had bowed to him. It gave him a sense of superiority, and this man seemed friendly enough. "We were out playing with the other kids. But when we looked up, they were gone," he said, lowering his stick. "Can you take us home?"

"I'm afraid that I don't know where you live, that I do not. However, I am traveling towards the town. Would you like to come with me?" Kenshin asked. The boy looked crestfallen that Kenshin didn't know where he lived, but he didn't want to be out here alone any longer. "We'll go with you," he said, taking the girl's hand and walking over to Kenshin.

Kenshin smiled and started walking back towards the road, where he had left his pack. "What are your names?" he asked, looking at them over his shoulder.

The boy answered him "I'm Roku. This is Aiko. I'm hungry. Do you have food?" he asked as they reached the road.

Kenshin chuckled, as he retrieved his pack from where he had left it. He reached in and brought out two rice balls. "Hai. Would you like one?" he asked, offering one to each child.

The boy grabbed it and started devouring it. The girl was a little more tentative, but she took it, eating it a little more slowly.

Kenshin straightened up, shouldering his pack. "Well, I believe we should get going, that we should. It looks as though it'll start raining very soon and we don't want to get caught out in it, that we most certainly do not," he said, looking at the sky.

They all started walking down the road, the children munching on their rice balls, and Kenshin contemplating what he was going to do with them. _I suppose they will have to stay with me in the inn tonight, if the innkeeper doesn't know who their parent's are. I can help them find their house in the morning. I hope their parent's don't think I kidnapped them-- _ Kenshin's thoughts were interrupted by Roku grabbing his arm.

"There it is! Look, Aiko, he's taking us home!" Roku said, pointing down a road that branched off the one they were walking down. Looking down the road, Kenshin could see what appeared to be a temple sitting on a hill, quite a ways down the road. Already it was difficult to make out in the failing light. _I can't just send these children by themselves. Oh, well, it looks as though I'll be arriving in the town even later than I thought,_ Kenshin complained mentally. He could never abandon the children, but he wished they lived a bit closer to the town.

As they started walking down the road, Kenshin noticed Aiko was starting to fall behind. He looked back at her, wondering what was wrong. Her eyes were drooping, her shoulders slumped and she was dragging her feet as she walked. She looked exhausted. With a start, Kenshin realized that these children had probably been wandering around lost for a while. Berating himself for his lack of observation, he walked back to Aiko, and kneeled down in front of her.

"Would you like me to carry you, Aiko?" he asked, softly. She paused, indecisive for a moment, before her weariness won out and she nodded, lifting her arms for him to pick her up. He did so, gently picking her up and walking back towards Roku. She put her arms around his neck and snuggled her head into his shoulder. She was soon asleep, lulled by the gentle rocking motion of Kenshin's steps.

Roku looked to have more stamina than Aiko, but Kenshin extended the invitation to him as well. "Would you like me to carry you, Roku?"

The little boy shook his head. "Nah, we're almost home," he said, his eyes never leaving the lights that had been lit in the temple. There was a flash of lightning, briefly illuminating the landscape, followed closely by booming thunder. Aiko unconsciously tightened her arms around Kenshin's neck.

It was now completely dark, and the winds had started to pick up. Kenshin fervently hoped that he could get the children to the temple before the storm let loose its fury. Not wanting to tax the boy's strength, Kenshin was letting Roku set the speed at which they were traveling. The boy, in his eagerness to get home, was trying to walk fast, but he was tired.

Luck seemed to be on their side, however. Kenshin felt the first few drops of rain fall on his arms as they entered the temple's gates. One of the monks ran out to meet them.

"Roku! Where have you been?! We've been worried!" he said, ushering the boy inside. Kenshin, still holding Aiko, followed.

"I'm sorry, Monk Norio. We got lost! This nice man brought us home!" Roku said pointing at Kenshin.

"Us? Is Aiko with you?" Monk Norio asked, turning to look at Kenshin. He hadn't been able to see the little girl in Kenshin's arms because it was so dark outside.

"She was tired, so I offered to carry her. She's asleep," Kenshin said, by way of explanation. Monk Norio nodded, and beckoned Kenshin to follow him.

He led Kenshin to a room with a lot of children lying on pallets already asleep. Two pallets were empty and Roku immediately went over to one, while Monk Norio motioned for Kenshin to place Aiko on the other.

"If you'll put her in her pallet, I'll go lay out a pallet for you in one of the other rooms," the monk said, turning to go.

Kenshin stopped him. "That won't be necessary. I'm going to be staying at an inn, in the town, that I am," Kenshin said. "I wouldn't want to impose."

Monk Norio shook his head. "It won't be any problem, we often offer shelter to weary travelers, and we are in your debt for bringing Aiko and Roku home. Besides, it's about an hour's walk to the town. Do you really want to travel in this storm?" he asked. Thunder rolled loudly through the night sky, as if punctuating his statement.

Kenshin relented. "You have a very good point. I thank you for offering shelter to this unworthy one," Kenshin said, bowing while retaining his grip on Aiko. Monk Norio nodded and went to prepare the bed.

Kenshin kneeled down and lowered Aiko onto her pallet, pulling the blanket over her. After checking to make sure she was still asleep, he rose and followed Monk Norio.

. . .

**To Be Continued**


	9. Children

Disclaimer: If I owned it, this would be in the manga and anime and I wouldn't have to work at Walmart.

I'm going to add timetables to the chapters from now until Kenshin runs into Kaoru et al. Hopefully, this will help you keeps tabs on where they are. Kenshin and Kaoru both started traveling on the same day.

Timetable:

Day 1- Kaoru- traveling; Kenshin- traveling.

Day 2- Kaoru- traveling; Kenshin- traveling.

Day 3- Kaoru et al reach Kofu; Kenshin is still traveling.

Day 4- Kaoru- Kofu; Kenshin- traveling.

Day 5- Kaoru- Kofu; Kenshin- traveling.

Day 6- Kaoru- Kofu; Kenshin reaches Nagoya.

Day 7- Kaoru- Kofu; Kenshin continues traveling.

Day 8- Kaoru- Kofu; Kenshin reaches Ontako.

Day 9- Read the chapter to find out!

**Chapter 9**

The next morning, Kenshin awoke early. The storm had worn itself out during the night, and Kenshin hoped it wouldn't start up again before he got to town. He gathered his things, and was about to step outside, when a noise stopped him.

"Um..."

Kenshin turned around and saw Roku half-hiding behind the doorway to the children's room. He looked embarrassed.

Kenshin walked over to him and kneeled down so that they were eye level with each other. "What is it, Roku?" he asked, gently.

Color rose in Roku's cheeks, and he looked at the floor. "I wet my bed," he mumbled, barely audible.

"Oro?!" Kenshin said, his eyes widening in surprise. This wasn't the response he had been expecting. "Uh, have you told Monk Norio?" Kenshin asked, looking around the room nervously.

Roku shook his head. "He's not here. And Monk Takuboku can't leave Monk Yoshii, 'cause he's sick," he said, his eyes starting to fill with tears. He was terribly embarrassed that he'd wet the bed again, and all the other kids were going to laugh at him, if they found out.

Kenshin sighed. Apparently, he was the only one who could help Roku right now. Noticing the tears in his eyes, Kenshin smiled at the boy. "Well, then I suppose we need to get you cleaned up, that we do. Do you know where the bathhouse is?" Kenshin asked.

Roku nodded, still looking at the floor. "It's out back, by the well," he said.

Kenshin nodded. "Alright. I'll go and start a bath for you. Can you get some clean clothes and meet me out there? You have to be quiet so you don't wake anyone else up. This will be our little secret, okay?" he asked, in a conspiratorial whisper.

Roku looked around him to make sure no one was listening, before turning back to Kenshin. "Okay," he whispered back, his face serious. He turned and disappeared back into the room to find his clothes.

Kenshin stood, smiling and shaking his head. Making his way outside, he found the bathhouse and well with ease. There was also a bucket for laundry and a clothesline nearby. Gathering a small amount of logs, he started the fire under the bathhouse. Hauling water up out of the well, he filled the bath about a quarter of the way full. The task came to him with familiar ease, and he was finished before Roku made it outside, walking slowly and stopping every time he made a sound.

Assuring Roku that he had been quiet enough, Kenshin brought up some more water from the well and filled the laundry bucket. He retrieved some soap from the bathhouse and checked the temperature of the bath water. He decided it was warm enough.

"Roku, do the monks let you take a bath by yourself, or do they help you?" Kenshin asked, turning towards the boy.

"They let me take a bath by myself," he answered.

Kenshin nodded, exiting the bathhouse. "Very well, I shall be outside, if you need me, that I will. Just leave your dirty clothes by the door and I'll wash them for you," he said, closing the door.

Kenshin waited until he heard Roku get into the bath, making sure the water wasn't too hot or too cold for the boy. There were no complaints, so Kenshin went back inside and retrieved Roku's futon.

Kenshin washed it, hanging it on the line to dry, before walking over to the bathhouse and knocking on the door. "Roku? I'm going to get your clothes now, okay?" Kenshin asked through the door.

"Alright," came the muffled reply.

Kenshin opened the door, picked up the clothes, and shut it again. While the five year old might not be concerned with modesty, Kenshin was still a stranger. So, he was taking extra steps to make sure he didn't make the boy feel nervous or scared. Returning to the laundry bucket, Kenshin started washing Roku's clothes.

This was what he was doing when someone walked through the back gate.

"Ohayo, Monk Norio," Kenshin greeted him, looking up. Monk Norio was holding a basket filled with various plants, quite a few Kenshin recognized as having medical uses. Monk Norio looked at Kenshin, light confusion upon his face.

"Um, forgive me, but what are you doing?" he asked.

"Gomen, but Roku had a bit of an accident last night. Sessha is just washing his clothes while he takes a bath," Kenshin explained.

As if on cue, Roku walked out of the bathhouse, finishing tying his sash. Upon seeing Monk Norio, Roku dropped his eyes to the ground. "I'm sorry I wet my bed again, Monk Norio," Roku apologized.

Monk Norio smiled at Roku. "It's alright. You're fortunate that, uh, this young man was here to help you," he said, faltering as he realized he didn't know who Kenshin was.

Kenshin, realizing he hadn't introduced himself, was quick to apologize. "Gomen nasai! I'm rurouni," he said, somehow managing to bow while still washing Roku's clothes. It was then that Monk Norio noticed Kenshin's sword, which had been set on the ground beside him while he washed the laundry.

"I see. Well, I thank you, rurouni, for helping Roku and Aiko last night, and for helping Roku again this morning," Monk Norio said, bowing.

"Sessha didn't really-- " Kenshin began, but was cut off by a crash followed by a child's wail from inside the temple.

Monk Norio and Roku hurried back inside. Kenshin finished washing Roku's clothes, hung them up, and followed them.

Apparently, one of the other children had woken up, and decided that she was hungry. She had gone to the kitchen and stood on a stool to get something out of one of the higher cupboards. She had slipped and pulled a shelf down with her. She looked to be more shook up than anything else, but the kitchen was a right mess. Her wailing had woken up some of the other children, too.

After Monk Norio calmed her down, he looked at the kitchen, the children who were already starting to fight amongst themselves in the hall, and then at Kenshin. "Rurouni, would you mind watching the children while I clean this up and start breakfast?" he asked, somewhat against his better judgment. This man was carrying a sword and, since swords had been banned several years ago, that could only mean trouble. However, Monk Norio couldn't watch the children and clean up the kitchen. Besides, this man had brought Roku and Aiko home last night. He couldn't be that dangerous, could he?

"Oro?! You want _me_ to watch them?" he asked, surprise clearly written all over his face. He turned, a little apprehensively, to the children. Doing a quick count, he concluded there were twelve children that he would be watching. _Sure, I can watch five or six, maybe even seven, but **twelve**?!_ he thought, his eyes widening in dismay.

Monk Norio, who had been watching Kenshin 's reaction, revised his opinion of the red head being dangerous. _He's practically shaking at the thought of watching the children,_ the monk thought with some amusement. Although, with these children, he had good reason to be apprehensive, but the rurouni didn't know that.

"H-hai, Monk Norio. I'll watch the children for you," Kenshin said. The monk nodded his thanks and started cleaning the kitchen, while Kenshin took the children outside.

Once outside, the children quieted down, looking at Kenshin curiously. Most of them had only just now noticed that they didn't know this person.

Kenshin chuckled a little nervously. "Well, I suppose I should introduce myself, that I should. I'm rurouni. Could you please tell me all your names?"

One of the older boys stepped up. "I'm Kanjiro. This is Masu, Yoshiko, Rina, Bokkai, Sayoko, Noriyori, Tomomi, Roku, Gidayu, Chika, and Aiko," he said, pointing to each of the children as he named them. Kenshin hoped he could keep all their names straight.

"Well, now that we're all acquainted, what do you want to do?" he asked.

A little boy, Gidayu, if Kenshin remembered correctly, said, "I'm hungry!" Several of the other children agreed with him.

"I'm sorry, but Monk Norio hasn't made breakfast yet--" The words were barely out of Kenshin's mouth before the whining commenced. _Great, **now** what? They're hungry, but I can't do anything about that,_ Kenshin thought, resisting the urge to cover his ears to block out the high-pitched voices. Suddenly, he had an idea. _Distraction! Distraction is the key!_ he thought, trying to come up with games they all could play.

"Alright, alright, settle down!" he said, raising his voice to make himself heard. The children quieted, obediently. "Okay, this is what we're going to do..."

. . .

Later, after he had cleaned the kitchen and had breakfast almost done, Monk Norio decided to go and check on the poor rurouni. He felt bad for having asked this stranger to watch all twelve children. He walked outside and heard the children out back behind the temple. Mentally going over the apology in his head, he walked to the back of the complex. The sight that greeted his eyes took him by surprise.

The five oldest children were gathered around two games of Tic Tac Toe, the two youngest were hitting a paper ball back and forth , trying to keep it off the ground, and the other five children were engaged in a game of hopscotch. All the children were dressed, and the rurouni was washing their sleeping yukatas.

_He's good,_ Monk Norio thought, watching the rurouni, who had his back towards the monk. As if sensing him, Kenshin turned and looked at the monk, smiling.

"The children are hungry. Is breakfast almost ready?" he asked, pausing in his work.

"It should be done in a few minutes. I was just coming to see how you were faring with the children," Norio said, not quite being able to hide his amazement.

"It was a bit rough at first, but we're alright now," he said. He finished washing the garment and hung it on the line to dry before turning his attention to the children. "Alright, everyone! Breakfast is almost ready, so you need to go and wash your hands, that you do!"

Immediately, the children stopped what they were doing and went to go wash up. Kenshin turned back to Norio. "I think they can manage by themselves. Do you need help in the kitchen?" he asked.

Norio smiled. He was starting to like this rurouni. "Any help would be very much appreciated," he said, turning and walking back into the temple. Kenshin followed him inside.

"Two other monks, Monk Yoshii and Monk Takuboku, as well as the children, live here. Two days ago, Monk Yoshii became ill. Either Monk Takuboku or myself have to stay with him, leaving only one of us to tend the children. Any help you could offer would be greatly appreciated. How long do you plan on staying here?"

. . .

**To Be Continued**


	10. Discovery

Disclaimer: If I owned it, this would be in the manga and anime and I wouldn't have to work at Walmart.

Timetable:

Day 1- Kaoru- traveling; Kenshin- traveling.

Day 2- Kaoru- traveling; Kenshin- traveling.

Day 3- Kaoru et al reach Kofu; Kenshin- traveling.

Day 4- Kaoru- Kofu; Kenshin- traveling.

Day 5- Kaoru- Kofu; Kenshin- traveling.

Day 6- Kaoru- Kofu; Kenshin reaches Nagoya.

Day 7- Kaoru- Kofu; Kenshin continues traveling.

Day 8- Kaoru- Kofu; Kenshin reaches Ontako.

Day 9- Kaoru- Kofu; Kenshin- Ontako

Day 10- Read the Chapter to find out!

**Chapter 10**

After spending a week in Kofu, everyone decided it was time to move on. Kaoru and Megumi got up early, wanting to get an early start on the road. Sanosuke and Yahiko seemed to want to leave a bit later.

After finally dragging the two boys out of bed and collecting their things for them, everyone was on the road by a little past noon.

Yahiko yawned, having stayed up late talking to Sano the night before. "So, where we goin'?" he asked, trying to appear more awake than he felt.

Megumi answered his question. "We're heading to Ontako. It's about seventy-five miles west of Kofu, the same distance we traveled from Tokyo. If we walk at the same pace, I believe we should arrive in about three days."

. . .

Kenshin's second and third day at the temple went pretty much the same as the first. He had been introduced to Monk Takuboku, and Kenshin had noticed the monk's eyes stray to his sword several times. The monk didn't comment on it, however. Apparently, the fact that Monk Norio trusted Kenshin was enough to overlook the weapon's presence.

Monk Yoshii was still sick, so he and Kenshin had not yet been introduced. It wasn't until the fourth day that Monk Yoshii was finally out of bed.

Monk Takuboku had gone into town to buy groceries, taking the four oldest children with him. Monk Norio was helping Kenshin watch the other eight children in the yard while the latter did the laundry. Monk Yoshii walked outside to join them.

Looking at the red head, Monk Yoshii felt something pulling at his memory. Something about this man was familiar, but he just couldn't quite put his finger on what it was. "So, you must be the stranger who's been helping out with the children in my absence," he said, walking up behind Kenshin.

Kenshin turned to the monk, smiling. "Ohayo, Monk Yoshii. Are you feeling better?" Kenshin asked, politely.

"Well, I haven't completely recovered, but I'm well enough to be up and around, again. That, in and of itself, is a blessing I'm thankful for. I was told that you found Roku and Aiko and brought them back a few days ago. How is it that you were out so late this far away from the town?" Monk Yoshii asked. His fellow monks had been rather sketchy with any details concerning this stranger.

"I'm rurouni. I was traveling from Nagoya to Ontako, when I happened upon the children, that I was," Kenshin explained.

"Rurouni?" Monk Yoshii's eyes darted reflexively to the ground next to Kenshin. There was a sheathed sword, lying within easy reach of the red head's hand.

Monk Yoshii's eyes narrowed slightly and his demeanor changed from friendly and welcoming to cold and suspicious. "You are a swordsman, then," he said, coolly. "And not only do you carry an illegal weapon, you bring it with you onto holy ground."

Kenshin expression fell slightly, although he continued smiling. He turned back and continued washing the laundry. "This sword cannot kill anyone," he said, quietly.

"A sword is a weapon that was designed for no other purpose than that of destruction. You are a fool to expect me to believe that there has ever been a sword forged that was not meant to kill," Monk Yoshii replied, his tone daring Kenshin to contradict him.

Kenshin didn't want to start an argument, and it was obvious that Monk Yoshii did not approve of his being there. He finished washing the garment, and hung it on the line to dry. "Well, Monk Yoshii, I am pleased to see you up and about, that I am. As you are now able to take care of the children, I am no longer needed here. I'll be on my way," Kenshin said, bowing. He turned to go, only to be stopped by Monk Norio.

The monk, having heard the tail end of the conversation, decided to intervene. "Rurouni, your help would still be greatly appreciated here. Although Monk Yoshii is now able to get out of bed, he will not be able to watch the children. If you would like to leave, we will not stop you, but we would be indebted to you if you could stay for a few days more. Monk Yoshii, may I have a word with you in private?" Monk Norio asked, gesturing to the temple.

Monk Yoshii turned and walked towards the temple without a backwards glance at Kenshin. Monk Norio turned back to the red head. "Please forgive him. He used to be a swordsman, and fought during the Bakumatsu. He has seen the worst of what a sword can do, and has been leery of swordsmen ever since. The fact that swords are now illegal does not help matters any. Please do not pay any attention to him. I would ask that you watch the children for a few minutes more. Then, if you still feel you should go, I will not stop you. I'll go talk to Monk Yoshii about his behavior. He was out of place." Having said that, Monk Norio bowed and followed Monk Yoshii back into the temple.

Kenshin watched him go, thinking. Deciding that he would stay for as long as they needed him, he knelt on the ground and continued washing the laundry.

Inside the temple, the monks were having a debate.

"I'm telling you, we can't trust him," Monk Yoshii said, pointing outside to where Kenshin was washing the laundry.

"Why not? He has done nothing to show that he is untrustworthy," Monk Norio replied.

"He's carrying a sword! That, by itself, would be reason enough to prevent him from entering the temple grounds, doubly so when you consider the fact that swords were banned years ago!" Monk Yoshii argued.

"His reasons for carrying a sword are his own, and none of us shall ask why. Have you also forgotten that we offer sanctuary to all who come through our gates? Who are you, that you can so easily judge him? Buddha has sent him to help us in our time of need. It is not our place to question why he sent this swordsman," Monk Norio said, daring Monk Yoshii to disagree.

To his credit, Monk Yoshii did not dispute the older monk's words. He bowed his head in acknowledgment of his companion's words. "You are correct, as always. However, I still do not trust that man. His swordsman's spirit is weak, but I will still be keeping an eye on him." With that, he turned and walked deeper into the temple.

Sighing, Monk Norio went back outside to find out if Kenshin would be staying or leaving.

. . .

"How much further do we have to go? I thought we were gonna reach Ontako today? There's about an hour left before sunset, and I really don't want to be caught outside when it starts raining!" Yahiko complained, loudly, eyeing the darkening clouds above them warily.

"If you would quit complaining and walk faster, we would get there sooner!" Kaoru snapped, getting fed-up with her student. He had been complaining all day and, quite frankly, they were all tired of listening to his whining.

Yahiko lapsed back into silence, studying his surroundings. It all looked the same to him, but at least it would pass the time a little faster. A road branched off the main one, and Yahiko idly wondered where it led. Looking down the road, he saw a building. He stopped, squinting his eyes slightly to see the building better. It appeared to be a temple of some sort. Yahiko's observations were cut short by Sanosuke's voice.

"Oi, Yahiko! If you're in such a hurry to get to Ontako, then quit lagging behind! We're not going to stop and wait for you!" Sano called back, noticing Yahiko had stopped.

Muttering something uncomplimentary under his breath, Yahiko quickly caught up with the group, the temple forgotten.

. . .

They reached the town around dusk and started looking for an inn.

"How about that one?" Sanosuke suggested, pointing.

The building in question was quite run down and looked as though it would fall over if the wind blew too hard. Kaoru shook her head. "We're not _that_ desperate, Sanosuke," she replied.

"You shouldn't judge a building by its appearance! I've been in places that were in much worse condition, but were really nice inside!" Sano said, defensively.

"I know what type of places you hang out at, Sano," Kaoru said, a bit dryly.

"What's that supposed to mean?!"

"Let's just keep looking," Megumi said, interrupting them. "The wind is starting to pick up and I would like to be indoors before it's completely dark."

They walked down a few more streets before Yahiko saw another inn. It looked much more inviting than the first one, and they quickly made their way inside. They paid for their rooms and settled down just as the first few drops of rain began to fall.

. . .

The rest of the day had been fairly stressful for Kenshin. He had agreed to stay for a while longer, at Monk Norio's request. It was obvious Monk Yoshii was not pleased by this, causing a lot of tension when he was in the same room as Kenshin. Fortunately for Kenshin, Monk Yoshii needed to rest frequently, leaving the red head in peace.

It was now after dark and Kenshin was helping Monk Norio and Monk Yoshii get the children ready for bed, while Monk Takuboku washed the dishes from dinner. The storm had finally struck and the rain could be heard pounding on the roof, while the wind howled through the trees. This made the temple's occupants very thankful they were sheltered from the storm's fury.

Kenshin had just put Aiko to bed when he sensed a large group of people approaching the temple. And their ki was not friendly.

He stood up, smiling at Monk Norio's questioning glance. "Would you excuse me for a moment," Kenshin said, politely. He exited the room without waiting for a response.

Walking to the front of the temple, he stepped outside and waited. Almost immediately, he made out the faint silhouettes of several people walking through the rain, followed by several more. The group stopped just inside the temple gates, surprised someone was waiting for them and unsure as to how to react. A few even drew their swords before one of them stepped forward.

"Please, monk, my men are cold and weary. Might we find shelter for the night in your temple?"

"Do not try to play games with me. Ten men with ki such as yours don't get lost in a storm on accident. You are here to steal the temple's treasures, are you not?" he asked. He felt surprise and alarm in several of the men's ki, confirming his suspicion. "There is naught of value here, but the lives of three monks and twelve children. There is nothing here for you."

The man who had stepped forward, obviously the leader, noticed the faint silhouette of the sword at Kenshin's side. "Ah, but I must disagree with you there. For, if there were nothing here worth stealing, then why would they hire a swordsman to protect it?" he asked. Before Kenshin could answer, the leader signaled his men to attack.

Nine men ran forward, intent on overwhelming Kenshin with their numbers. Kenshin sighed, although it was lost in the wind and the rain. He had really wanted to avoid a fight.

Removing his sheath from his obi, he fell into the stance for battoujutsu, taking down four of the men as he un-sheathed his sword. Two more, who were unable to recover from their surprise in time, also fell under Kenshin's blade. The last three immediately spread out, intent on surrounding Kenshin. Faster than the eye could follow, Kenshin disappeared, only to reappear behind the man in front of him. A quick blow to the back of the head took care of him, and Kenshin did the same with the last two fighters.

He turned around, facing the remaining man. "I'll ask you again. Please leave," he said, his voice low, but clearly heard over the wind.

. . .

Inside the temple, Monk Yoshii noticed what Kenshin had earlier-- hostile ki inside the temple gates. Most of them were not very powerful, as far as swordsmen go, but one ki in particular stood out from the others. This one was a master swordsman. He was very dangerous, indeed.

Monk Yoshii stood up, drawing Monk Norio's attention. "Stay with the children," he said, going to investigate.

. . .

The leader of the bandits looked at Kenshin appraisingly. "So, you have a few meager skills, after all. It's been awhile since I had a challenge. Let's see what you've got!" he shouted, running at Kenshin with his sword drawn.

Kenshin met him halfway, their swords clashing against each other. Kenshin pulled back suddenly, and disappeared. The leader over-balanced, falling slightly forward before he was able to catch himself. His eyes darted around, frantically looking for any sign of his opponent.

Kenshin's sword connected with the bandit's collar bone, all of Kenshin's weight behind the attack. The bandit crumpled to the ground, unconscious. Kenshin stood and sheathed his blade.

Abruptly, Kenshin realized that someone was standing in the entrance to the temple. Slowly, Kenshin turned to see who it was.

Monk Yoshii stood there, the look on his face accusing. "The first time I saw you, I noticed there was something familiar about you that I just couldn't place. I know what it is now. That attack you just did-- you used to use that to kill people during the Bakumatsu, didn't you -- _Battousai!_" the monk practically yelled.

Kenshin just stood there, the rain streaming down his face, making it appear as if he was crying. The rain continued to fall, but Kenshin paid it no mind, as it had already soaked his hair and his clothes. He looked at Monk Yoshii sadly. "Hai, I did," he answered, simply.

"I should have recognized your hair and scar when I first saw you. I felt your ki, but you had managed to suppress it, somehow, so I didn't think you were that dangerous. I think it's time you left," Monk Yoshii said, coldly.

Kenshin bowed his head, as if he had expected this response. "Allow me to gather my belongings, and I'll depart," he said, walking towards the temple's entrance. Monk Yoshii moved aside, giving him a wide berth, as if he didn't want to touch Kenshin for fear of contamination.

Not wishing to tarry, Kenshin quickly made his way to the room he had been using. It didn't take him long to gather his things, and he turned to go when a familiar voice stopped him.

"You're not leaving, are you?"

Kenshin turned around to see Roku standing in the doorway. "Roku, what are you doing up? You should be in bed," Kenshin said, gently scolding the child.

Roku fidgeted in the doorway. "I had to go to the bathroom, and then I heard Monk Yoshii telling you to go away," he said, looking at the floor. He looked up, his wide eyes shining with tears. "You're not leaving, are you?" he asked again.

Kenshin smiled gently, and kneeled down, so he could look Roku in the eye. "I'm afraid I must. I am just a rurouni. It is time for me to wander again."

Suddenly, Roku surprised Kenshin by throwing his arms around Kenshin's neck, not caring that Kenshin's gi was drenched with water. "I don't want you to leave!" Roku cried into Kenshin's hair.

After Kenshin got over his initial surprise, he put his arms around the child. "I'm sorry, Roku. I have to go. I was only planning on staying until Monk Yoshii got better. Now that he has, it's time for me to leave."

Reluctantly, Roku released Kenshin and stepped back, his pleading eyes never leaving Kenshin's face. Kenshin smiled reassuringly at the boy. "Farewell, Roku," he said, before turning and walking down the hall.

Monk Yoshii was still standing at the front of the temple, as if making sure Kenshin left. No words were exchanged between them. Kenshin stepped out into the rain once again, and disappeared into the darkness.

. . .

Most of the children were asleep, so Monk Norio decided to find out where Kenshin and Monk Yoshii had gone to and why. He stepped out into the hall and heard crying coming from Kenshin's room. Walking over there, he saw Roku sitting against the wall, crying.

"What's wrong, Roku?" he asked, gently, picking the boy up and carrying him back to bed.

"Rurouni left, and he isn't coming back," Roku said, brokenly.

Monk Norio shook his head. "That's nonsense. Why would he leave, especially in this weather?" he said, entering the children's room.

"Monk Yoshii told him to."

Monk Norio paused for a minute, before he gently laid Roku on his pallet. "Go to sleep. I'll go talk to Monk Yoshii." Monk Norio quickly stood and went in search of Monk Yoshii. He found him near the front of the temple. "Where is the rurouni?" Norio asked, his voice deceptively calm.

"The murderer has left, but not before desecrating our temple," came the cold reply.

"What do you mean?" Norio demanded.

"Take a look outside."

Confusion written clearly across his face, Monk Norio walked outside. It was still raining, but the feeble light from the temple was enough to illuminate the bodies littering the courtyard. Confusion turned to disbelief as Norio made his way down the steps to the first body.

_Surely, the rurouni didn't kill these men on the temple grounds! Were these people looking for shelter for the night? No, the rurouni wouldn't have attacked unless he was provoked-- would he?_ he thought, staring at the body in front of him. Kneeling down, he examined the body. The man flinched away under his touch. _This man is still alive!_ Norio thought, excitedly. He quickly checked the other men, ten in all, and found them to all be alive as well. He noted, however, that they had all been armed with swords.

He grabbed the closest man and started dragging him up the stairs into the temple. Monk Yoshii was waiting for him inside. "Why are you bringing them in here?!" he demanded. He didn't see the reason behind cluttering the temple with corpses.

"If you had actually checked any of the bodies, you would know. They're still alive, although I don't know how much longer they will be if we don't get them out of that rain," Norio said, depositing the man he had brought in and turning back to fetch another. "Well, are you going to help me or stand there gawking all night?!" he demanded, irritably, when Yoshii Just stood there. Silently, Yoshii followed, and they brought the rest of the bandits inside.

After all ten of the bandits were inside, Norio pulled Yoshii aside. "Please tell me you did not send the rurouni out into this storm," he said, already knowing the answer.

Yoshii's face hardened. "I did," he said, not a trace of regret in his voice. "He brought violence onto the temple grounds. He desecrated this holy building."

"No, _these_ men brought the violence-- he may have desecrated the temple by fighting back, but--" Norio began.

"He's the Battousai!" Yoshii said, cutting him off.

"I don't care who he is! He saved our lives tonight! You may be a former swordsman, but you are unarmed and you would have been up against ten men, all carrying swords! You would have been defeated, probably killed, as would Monk Takuboku and myself! And the children! The boys would be killed, and you know what those bandits would have done to the girls! He saved us all from that fate, and you sent him away just because he used to be a hitokiri. Must I remind you that he is not the only one here who has taken another's life, Monk Yoshii?!" Norio said, managing to keep his voice somewhat quiet while not losing any of the intensity behind his words.

"I have killed men in the past, but this is Battousai! He's a blood-thirsty demon!"

"Then where has this demon been the past ten years? Battousai disappeared after the last battle and has not been heard from since. If he is really that blood-thirsty, then why are we standing here, tending men that he had the opportunity to, but _did not kill?!_ Perhaps, he is seeking his salvation, as you did. I pray you have not made a fatal mistake with your actions tonight," Norio said, leaving Yoshii alone with his thoughts.

Norio returned to the temple entrance. _I am sorry, rurouni. You have done so much to help us these past four days and this is how we repay your kindness. I pray you reach the town safely,_ Norio thought, staring out into the darkness.

. . .

**To Be Continued**


	11. Sick

Disclaimer: If I owned it, this would be in the manga and anime and I wouldn't have to work at Walmart.

Timetable:

Day 1- Kaoru- traveling; Kenshin- traveling.

Day 2- Kaoru- traveling; Kenshin- traveling.

Day 3- Kaoru et al reach Kofu; Kenshin- traveling.

Day 4- Kaoru- Kofu; Kenshin- traveling.

Day 5- Kaoru- Kofu; Kenshin- traveling.

Day 6- Kaoru- Kofu; Kenshin reaches Nagoya.

Day 7- Kaoru- Kofu; Kenshin continues traveling.

Day 8- Kaoru- Kofu; Kenshin reaches Ontako.

Day 9- Kaoru- Kofu; Kenshin- Ontako

Day 10- Kaoru leaves Kofu; Kenshin- Ontako

Day 11- Kaoru- traveling; Kenshin- Ontako

Day 12- Kaoru- reaches Ontako (dusk); Kenshin- Ontako

Day 13- Read to find out!

**Chapter 11**

A solitary figure walked down a lonely road. The rain was pouring down, causing the man's clothing and red hair to cling to his body, shifting slightly as he moved. The road had been turned to mud by the rain and squished under the man's feet, trying to bog him down with every step he took. A cold wind blew hard against him, as if trying to force him back the way he had come. It blew through the trees, shrieking at his defiance of it as he pressed on. The wind had chilled his rain-soaked body and he was shaking violently as his body struggled to regain the warmth it was rapidly losing. But the man took no heed of these discomforts, so lost in his thoughts was he.

Kenshin walked, unaware or uncaring of the danger he would be in if he didn't do something about his circumstances soon. His thoughts revolved around what had taken place moments before. He didn't regret defending against those bandits, even if he was on the temple grounds. He just wished Monk Yoshii hadn't seen it. The moment Monk Yoshii had recognized him as Battousai, Kenshin knew he had to leave. Even if Monk Yoshii hadn't sent him away, Kenshin still would have left this very night. He couldn't stand to see the look of horror and betrayal that would have surely graced Monk Norio's face when he found out Kenshin's true identity. It always happened this way. It usually took longer before someone found out, but Kenshin was slowly starting to realize that he could never be free from his past. It was better this way. Monk Norio would find out, but he wouldn't have to worry about getting rid of Kenshin. He was already gone.

Kenshin was jolted out of his thoughts when he came to the main road. He had been walking along the road, not paying attention to where he was going. Now, the road split and he had to choose. He could continue on to Ontako, or he could head back to Nagoya. As he considered his options, he became acutely aware of what his mind had been too distracted to notice while he was walking. The wind had not let up in its intensity, and his body was wet and, as a consequence, freezing cold.

_Kenshin no baka! I need to get warm and dry as soon as possible!_ he thought, wrapping his arms around himself as he shuddered. Realizing that he could not get dry or warm out in this weather, Kenshin headed towards the town. He ran, knowing that he had to reach the town as quickly as possible and by running he could probably cut the time in half.

The physical exertion generated a little heat, but that was quickly taken away as the cold wind whipped past him. Every breath he took drew more frigid air into his lungs, chilling him further and increasing his chances of getting sick, but Kenshin was more concerned with speed at this point. He had to reach the town soon.

. . .

Hatayama Tsuya added another log to the fire. She owned her own inn on the south side of Ontako and, run-down though it looked on the outside, it was actually quite a cozy little place. She doubted that anyone would be traveling in this storm, but it was better to be prepared, so she kept the fire going in the common room and sat down behind her desk, mending some of her clothes. A few minutes later, there was a knock on the door. Setting her sewing aside, she rose and answered it.

She opened the door to reveal a red-haired man standing there. She couldn't see him very well, as she was blocking most of the light from the door. He spoke before she could offer her usual greeting.

"I'm sorry to disturb you so late, but could you direct me to the police station? Some bandits attacked the temple outside of town and the officers need to go pick them up," he said, in a quiet, slightly breathless, voice.

She stepped out onto the porch to point him in the right direction, but stopped as she got a good look at him now that he was in the light. He was soaking wet, water literally falling off him and pooling at his feet. He was very pale and his lips were starting to get a bluish tint around them. He was shaking so violently that he could barely stand. His red hair shimmered in the light, giving the appearance of blood sliding down his face and neck, standing out vividly against his pale skin. She paused, a little startled.

He looked at her imploringly. "Please, if you could tell me the location of the police station, I could be on my way," he said, his voice somewhat raspy, sensing her shock at his bedraggled appearance.

The last part of his statement snapped her out of her daze. "No, you most certainly can _not_ be on your way! Look at you--I'm surprised you're still standing! You're soaking wet! First, we need to get you dried off--" she paused, grabbing his wrist. It was as cold as ice. "And get you warmed up! You're liable to catch your death!" she continued.

Before Kenshin could even comprehend what happened, he found himself being pushed down into a chair set in front of the fire. He also noticed a blanket had been draped around his shoulders. His numbed mind struggled to understand what the woman was saying.

"Etsuya! Etsuya, come down here!" Tsuya called. A young man walked into the room.

"Yes, mother, what do you need?" he asked.

"This young man is looking for the police station to inform them of some bandits, but he's in no condition to be traveling, especially in weather like this. I want you to find out what he needs to tell them and inform them yourself."

Kenshin, upon hearing this, stood, the blanket falling to the floor. "No, please, I don't want to inconvenience you, if you would just tell me where--"

"Don't worry, dear, it's no trouble at all. Just sit back down in front of the fire and warm yourself," Tsuya said, cutting Kenshin off as she replaced the blanket around his shoulders and gently pushed him back into the chair.

Etsuya, seeing the state Kenshin was in, walked over to his chair. "I'd be happy to go to the police station. If it's bandits, we don't have time to argue. The sooner the police are informed, the better. Also, while she's usually a bit on the over-protective side, mother's right. You need to stay here. You look terrible."

Kenshin understood that Etsuya was correct, and sighed in defeat. Etsuya's mother probably wouldn't let Kenshin leave tonight. "The temple just outside of town was attacked by bandits. The police need to go and pick them up. I believe there were about ten, in all," Kenshin said, snuggling deeper into the blanket. He really was too cold to argue.

"At the temple?!" Etsuya didn't even wait for Kenshin to respond before he was putting on his zori sandals and grabbing an umbrella that Tsuya had brought out for him. Etsuya didn't waste any time going to the police station.

Kenshin was finally able to relax, now that the he knew the police would pick-up the bandits. He leaned back in the chair, his eyes falling half closed. His shaking had subsided somewhat, and he was starting to get feeling back in his fingers and toes, albeit painfully. Trying to distract himself from the pain and the cold, Kenshin instead tried to focus his weary mind on what was going on around him.

Tsuya walked over to Kenshin, a steaming bowl of miso soup in her hands. "Go ahead and eat this, dear. It'll help warm you up from the inside-out," she said, pushing the bowl into Kenshin's hands.

Kenshin accepted the bowl, holding it in his hands to warm them enough so he could use the chopsticks without embarrassing himself.

A few minutes later, a young woman entered the room. "Tsuya-san, the bath is ready."

"Thank you, Kuniko-chan. Now, young man, if you'll allow me to escort you to the bath, we can get you out of those wet clothes," Tsuya said, walking over to where Kenshin was sitting.

Kenshin shook his head weakly in protest. "Please, I don't want to be an inconvenience," he said.

"It's no trouble, no trouble at all, and you're still shaking like a leaf in the wind," she pointed out, helping Kenshin to his feet.

As Kenshin stood, the room spun. He closed his eyes for a moment to center himself. Tsuya took his action as reluctance to leave the warmth of the fire. "Don't worry, dear, the bath water is nice and hot. You'll be warm soon enough. I'll see to that. You've already got a bit of color back in your cheeks," she said, guiding him toward the bath.

Kenshin, who was not looking forward to going back out in the rain, fervently hoped that they had an indoor bath.

Kenshin's prayers were answered when Tsuya stopped in front of the room without going outside. "Go ahead and take your time in the bath. There are dry clothes and towels on the shelf, and just leave your wet clothes in the basket. When you're finished, your room is in the next hallway, fourth door down. The shoji will be open, and your futon will be laid out for you." With that, she turned to go back to the front of the inn.

"I'm sorry to trouble you like this, that I am. Arigato gozaimasu," Kenshin said, softly.

"Don't worry about it, dear. Breakfast will be brought to your room in the morning. Pleasant dreams," she said, disappearing around the corner.

Kenshin entered the room and peeled off his wet clothes, leaving them in the basket as instructed. He was still wet, so he soaped up and rinsed off quickly, eager to soak in the steaming furo. He sighed as he slipped into the tub, feeling the hot water encompassing his cold skin. It burned at first, but the sensation was welcomed.

Kenshin stayed in the bath until the water started to cool down. He got out and started drying off, but had to pause as another wave of dizziness came over him. Brushing it off, he dressed and started towards his room, shivering slightly and feeling very drained. He reached his room and collapsed on the futon, vaguely noting that extra blankets had been left. Still feeling cold, he piled all the blankets on top of himself before allowing himself to succumb to sleep.

. . .

A wagon pulled up in front of the temple gates, and two officers got out and went inside. Monk Norio had just finished tending the last bandit's wounds, when he heard the door of the temple open. Upon seeing the officers, he walked over towards them.

"We heard that some bandits attacked--are these them?" one of the police officers asked, gesturing towards the men laying on the floor.

Monk Norio nodded and the second policeman went back outside. He returned with several more officers, and they began moving the bandits to the wagon.

The first officer turned back towards Monk Norio. "I'm Sergeant Daishi. Could you tell me what happened here?" he asked.

"There was a rurouni who was staying here. He defended us and defeated the bandits, but he left after the battle. I don't know where he went."

Sergeant Daishi opened his mouth to ask for a description when a child's voice interrupted him.

"Monk Norio?"

Norio looked over to see Roku standing in the doorway. Norio glanced around the room, relieved to see that the officers had moved all of the bandits and were waiting for their commanding officer outside. Norio walked over to the child. "You should be in bed, Roku," he scolded, gently.

"Did you talk to Monk Yoshii? Is Rurouni coming back?" he asked, hopefully.

"I'm sorry, Roku. He's gone." Norio turned to Sergeant Daishi. "If you'll excuse me, I need to put Roku to bed."

"Thank you for your time. I need to get those men back to the jail before they wake up and start causing trouble," he said. Bowing to Monk Norio, he pulled his coat a little tighter around himself, and stepped back out into the rain.

. . .

The next morning, Tsuya walked up to Kenshin's room, breakfast tray in hand, and knocked on the shoji. She was a little worried about him becoming sick, so she was checking up on him personally. There was no answer, so she knocked again, louder. "Are you awake, dear? I have breakfast for you," she said. "I'm coming in," she announced, when she still received no reply.

Sliding the shoji open, she saw that Kenshin was still asleep. Deciding to leave the tray so he could eat when he woke up, she walked over nearer the bed and set it down. Looking again at Kenshin, she noticed that the color she had seen returning to his cheeks the previous night had gotten brighter, giving him a flushed appearance. This could signify a fever.

She placed her palm on his forehead and then touched the backs of her fingers to his cheek. His temperature was higher than normal; not enough to be worried about, but enough to warrant attention.

Kenshin began to stir from the contact, dragging himself up from a deep sleep, feeling someone touching his face. _What's going on?! Who's here?_ Startled that someone had managed to sneak up on him while he slept, his first thought was to grab his sakabato. Almost before his hand could begin to reach out, though, he stopped when he realized that he couldn't sense any hostile ki. He opened his eyes and looked around, trying to orient himself. _The inn. . . I'm at the inn._ When he saw Tsuya, he tried to sit up. The movement caused the room to spin, and he closed his eyes to help center himself.

Tsuya, noticing the glassy look in his eyes when he looked at her, quickly placed her hands on his shoulders, gently pushing him back down onto the futon.

He practically collapsed back onto the futon under her hands, as if he didn't have enough strength to fight against her. _I feel so weak! What's going on?!_ After the dizziness passed, Kenshin opened his eyes and looked at her again.

"Honey, you're sick. You have a fever, so you shouldn't try to get up. You stay here, and I'll go make you some tea," she said, taking the tray and standing up.

Kenshin's voice stopped her. "Please, you don't have to do this," Kenshin whispered, his voice raspy. Too much time in the cold night air had made his throat very sore.

Tsuya looked at him and smiled. "You're right. I don't have to, but I want to. You stay here, and I'll bring you some tea," she repeated, walking out into the hallway.

Kenshin stared at the door after she left. He would have gotten up and insisted that she not concern herself with his well being, but he knew he would collapse after only one or two steps. He felt too shaky to do anything. Of course, he also felt bad for imposing on her like this. _Last night, I practically collapsed on her doorstep, and now she has to take care of me because I got sick! Kenshin no baka!_ He thought, berating himself. The fact that he couldn't do anything about the situation only served to further his negative feelings. He felt extremely weak, his throat was dry and sore and he could feel heat radiating off his face while he couldn't seem to get his body warm enough. All in all, Kenshin was miserable.

Tsuya returned with another tray, containing a steaming cup, a bowl and a cloth. She sat down near Kenshin's head, placing the tray beside her. "Here, drink this. It's willow bark tea, it'll help bring your temperature down," she said, handing him the cup.

Not wishing to endure another dizzy spell, Kenshin managed to drink it while laying down, only spilling a little bit. Tsuya took the cup back, and dipped the cloth in the bowl, carefully wringing it out before she placed it on Kenshin's forehead.

The damp cloth was soothing against Kenshin's skin and he closed his eyes as at least some of his discomfort was lessened. Was it normal to feel this tired when sick? Kenshin tried to remember. The last time he had been this sick was when he was still living with Hiko. His master had taken care of him, muttering almost non-stop about baka deshis getting sick just to get out of training.

Kenshin felt the cloth removed, only to be replaced a few seconds later, having been dipped into the cool water again. Tsuya brushed Kenshin's hair behind his ear, stroking his face as a mother would with her sick child. That thought sent a pang of regret through Kenshin's heart.

_Is this what my mother was like? I have very few memories before my training with Hiko. I don't remember much from when I was a slave, and I remember even less before that. I don't remember what mother or father looked like. I can't even remember their voices,_ he thought, sorrow filling him for things lost in the past, never to be regained. A single tear fell, unknowingly, down his cheek.

He was distracted from his thoughts when he noticed someone had started singing. The song was soft and soothing, and Kenshin felt himself start to be lulled to sleep by it. Somewhere in the back of his mind he thought it was ironic that he, not only a grown man, but a legendary killer as well, should be put to sleep by a stranger singing a lullaby. However, that was a very small and distant part of his mind. Kenshin let himself drift amongst the music, feeling his body relax in response to the beautiful melody. _I think this must have been what my mother was like,_ he thought, before drifting off to sleep, a small smile gracing his lips.

Tsuya smiled, but didn't stop singing when she saw the tension leave Kenshin's face. He was finally asleep. She couldn't help but feel a motherly concern every time she looked at Kenshin. Not only was he young, but also he was so vulnerable right now. That's why she was taking care of him herself and letting her husband, Natsu, take care of the other customers at the inn. Tsuya had noticed Kenshin's tear. She wasn't sure what had caused it, but he had just looked so sad. So, she sang the song that she had often sung to her own son, when he was sick. It had the desired affect, and now Kenshin was sleeping peacefully. Not wanting to wake him by lack of music, she continued to sing, periodically checking his temperature and re-wetting the cloth on his forehead as necessary.

. . .

Enjoying being able to sleep in an actual bed again, and recuperating from the trip, Kaoru and the others didn't get out of bed until sometime around noon. After getting ready for the day (or what was left of it) and breakfast/lunch, Kaoru decided to take a walk and do some sightseeing.

After walking around for four hours, she was more than ready to go back to the inn. She was walking through the marketplace, when two older ladies' conversation caught her attention.

"I'm telling you, it was the Battousai!"

"Shh! Not so loud, people will hear you!"

It was obvious that the ladies didn't want anyone to overhear their conversation, so Kaoru turned to the nearest stall, pretending to examine the merchandise. She waited for the conversation to continue.

"Like I was saying, Teruyo's cousin's brother-in-law works at the jail, and he was there when they brought them in last night. He got it straight from the men's mouths. They say it was Battousai that beat them. They were travelers, trying to seek shelter before the storm hit. Came out of the dark, he did, surprising the lot of 'em. Was the leader of a gang of bandits, too, and they defeated the travelers. They say that Battousai was about to slaughter the lot of 'em when the police showed up. Battousai and his men escaped and the police arrested the travelers, mistakin' them for the bandits," the first woman said, excitedly. She was always eager for new, juicy gossip.

Kaoru heard the first part of the woman's speech, up until she mentioned Battousai. Kaoru was so excited at the prospect that Kenshin was still alive and in this town that she blocked out the rest of the conversation on accident.

"Yes, you know how the police are, especially those _police swordsmen._ You really need to watch out for those ones," the second woman said, seriously. "So, where did Battousai go?"

Kaoru was instantly attentive, eager for any information regarding Kenshin's whereabouts.

"No one knows. He hasn't been seen since, so I think he must have left town. The police picked up those men on the south side of town, so I'm betting he went north..." the old women continued chatting, but Kaoru stopped listening, having gotten all the information she needed.

Kaoru practically ran back to the inn, eager to tell everyone what she had learned. Unfortunately, no one was there when she got back. This annoyed her slightly, but she just decided she'd scour the town looking for Kenshin, instead. With a smile on her face and a bounce in her step, she set off once again, searching the crowds for the telltale red hair of her rurouni.

. . .

Kenshin opened his eyes, staring at the ceiling as his memory came back to him. _I came to the town and spent the night at the inn. The lady said I was sick--_ Kenshin concentrated, feeling his body. His throat was sore and he felt a little weak, but that was about it. He sat up, feeling slightly dizzy, but nothing he couldn't handle. He turned when he heard the shoji slide open.

"Oh, good, you're awake," Tsuya said, walking into the room carrying a tray. "You've slept the entire morning and most of the afternoon away. Feeling better?"

"Yes, thank you," Kenshin said, his voice scratchy.

Tsuya kneeled down next to the futon, setting the tray down beside her. She picked up a cup of water from the tray. "Here, drink this. You must be thirsty," she said, handing him the cup.

He accepted the cup and drank it slowly, the cool water soothing his dry throat. After he had drained the cup, he looked at her, apologetically. "Thank you for taking care of this one. It is more than this one deserves, that it is," he said, bowing to her.

She waved it off. "Oh, it was no trouble at all. It reminded me of when I used to have to take care of my own son. Although, you are a bit too skinny for my liking," she said.

"Oro?!" Kenshin wasn't expecting that reply. _I can't help it that I'm so skinny. That's just what my body's like,_ he thought, looking down at himself.

She chuckled at his reaction. "Sweetie, you need to eat," she said, gesturing to the tray next to her.

Kenshin grinned as he realized what she meant. As quickly as it had come, the expression faded. "You really didn't have to do this," he said, quietly. He felt like he was taking advantage of her kindness.

"Don't worry about it, it's no trouble at all," she said, smiling at him.

Kenshin couldn't help but smile back. "Arigato--" Kenshin floundered, realizing he didn't know her name.

"Goodness, where are my manners? I'm Hatayama Tsuya, the owner of this inn," she said, laughing at her forgetfulness.

"I'm--" Kenshin paused. Maybe it was because this woman had seemed so much like the mother Kenshin couldn't remember, but it just felt wrong to not tell her his name. "My name's Kenshin. Himura Kenshin," he said. _See? That wasn't too painful._

"Well, Kenshin, I'm glad to see that you're feeling better. Now, I want you to eat this, and try to go back to sleep. I'll be back to check on you later. Your fever has gone down, but you still need to rest. You are to stay on your futon for the rest of the day. No buts," she said, giving him a stern look when he opened his mouth to argue. "If you're going to be stubborn about it, I can have Kuniko sit in here and watch you."

Somewhere in his memory, Kenshin recognized that look and knew it would be pointless to argue. Besides, he wasn't feeling too opposed to a nap. "That won't be necessary," he said, smiling. "Arigato, Tsuya-dono."

She looked a bit startled. "Goodness gracious! You needn't be so formal. Just call me Tsuya, like everyone else does. You make me feel like an old woman with the 'dono,' " she said, laughing at her own joke. She was getting up there in years, so she could technically be classified as an old woman.

Kenshin just smiled. "Gomen."

"It's alright, just make sure you address me as Tsuya. And eat your food, before it gets cold," she said, exiting the room.

Still smiling, Kenshin made short work of his meal. Having a full stomach seemed to intensify his need for sleep, so he laid back down on the futon and drifted off to sleep.

. . .

**To Be Continued**


	12. Insane

Disclaimer: If I owned it, this would be in the manga and anime and I wouldn't have to work at Walmart.

Timetable:

Day 1- Kaoru- traveling; Kenshin- traveling.

Day 2- Kaoru- traveling; Kenshin- traveling.

Day 3- Kaoru et al reach Kofu; Kenshin- traveling.

Day 4- Kaoru- Kofu; Kenshin- traveling.

Day 5- Kaoru- Kofu; Kenshin- traveling.

Day 6- Kaoru- Kofu; Kenshin reaches Nagoya.

Day 7- Kaoru- Kofu; Kenshin continues traveling.

Day 8- Kaoru- Kofu; Kenshin reaches Ontako.

Day 9- Kaoru- Kofu; Kenshin- Ontako

Day 10- Kaoru leaves Kofu; Kenshin- Ontako

Day 11- Kaoru- traveling; Kenshin- Ontako

Day 12- Kaoru- reaches Ontako (dusk); Kenshin- Ontako

Day 13- Kaoru- Ontako; Kenshin- Ontako

Day 14- Just read the chapter, already!

**Chapter 12**

Finding neither hide, nor hair, of the rurouni, Kaoru returned to the inn late, slightly discouraged. Everyone was already asleep by the time she got back. She thought about waking them up and telling them about the rumor but, after thinking about their reactions, decided it would be safer to tell them in the morning. Sighing at her lack of results, she climbed up the stairs to her room, and went to sleep.

. . .

Kenshin awoke bright and early, feeling refreshed and revitalized. _Although I wasn't sick for very long, it's good to be healthy again,_ he thought. His hakama had been washed and left in his room with a dark green gi. His magenta one was nowhere to be found, so he dressed in the green gi and folded the futon. He then went in search of Tsuya.

Not knowing his way around the inn, Kenshin wandered around, looking for a member of the staff who could possibly give him directions. He found the kitchen, which was occupied by two women talking about all the latest gossip. Kenshin was about to interrupt them when he realized what they were talking about.

"You're kidding! Are you sure it was really him?! No one's heard of him in ten years!" the younger one said, eyes wide in surprise.

The older one nodded her head, sagely. "I got it from a very reliable source. It was Battousai, all right, come to cause trouble in our town! We don't need a murderer like him hanging around here! I say we round up all the men, find where he's hiding and run him out of town!" she said, raising her spoon for emphasis.

"But, you've heard the legends, haven't you? No mere mortal can beat him--he'd probably slaughter the lot of them! And then he'd come for us!" the first woman whispered, looking around, as if afraid that talking about Battousai would summon him.

Kenshin had heard enough. Not being able to listen to any more of the conversation, he walked back to his room and gathered his belongings. It was obviously time for him to go.

Tsuya walked up to Kenshin's room, smiling when the shoji opened and he stepped out. "You look good in green. Your other gi was so patched-up and threadbare, that one of the girls thought it was a rag and accidentally cut it up. So I bought you a replacement gi, as an apology," she explained.

Kenshin nodded. "Thank you, Tsuya-san," he said, bowing.

Tsuya's smile faded a little when she noticed that he had all of his things with him. "Well, I see you're feeling better. Are you leaving us already?" she asked.

Kenshin smiled a little sadly, nodding. "Yes," he said, quietly.

"I was hoping you'd stay for awhile longer. I can give you a job, if you'd like. What with the end of summer, we'll soon have our hands full with people from up north, coming down for the winter. We could use the extra help," she said, looking at Kenshin imploringly. She felt a strange attachment to this young man, and was loathe to let him leave.

Kenshin shook his head, his smile becoming a bit forced. "Thank you, for your kindness, but this one must be going," he said, the conversation between the kitchen staff still fresh in his mind. "If you could just show this one the way out?"

"Well, if your mind's made up, then I guess there's nothing I can do to change it," she said, leading Kenshin to the front of the inn.

"How much does this one owe you?" Kenshin asked.

"Don't worry about that. It's on the house."

"Please, you've done so much for this one, that you have; at least allow me to give something in return."

Tsuya sighed. Kenshin was a stubborn one. "Alright, but you'll do me the courtesy of accepting a discount." Kenshin opened his mouth to argue, but she beat him to it. "You insist on paying to satisfy your honor of a debt believed to be owed me. Don't dishonor me by not accepting my gift of a discount," she said, turning and looking at him.

Kenshin blinked. It was rare that someone was able to turn his own logic against him. He smiled, conceding defeat.

Upon reaching the front desk, he paid for his room. Although he didn't know how much she charged for her rooms, he was pretty sure she had given him an outrageous discount. However, not willing to risk another verbal sparring match, he let it slide. She was a crafty lady and, given the chance, would turn his minor victory into a minuscule one.

"Again, thank you for taking care of this one, Tsuya-san," Kenshin said, walking out the door.

"Just call me Tsuya, Kenshin. And don't worry about it, it was my pleasure. Be sure to stop by the next time you're in Ontako!" she called after him.

Kenshin turned, giving her a strained smile. He wasn't sure if he'd come back to Ontako and, if he did, it wouldn't be for years to come. With one last look behind him, Kenshin headed north, towards Iakayama.

. . .

Kaoru woke up early, feeling as if there was something she needed to do. Not being able to remember what it was, she moved over to the window to watch the sun rise. She couldn't remember the last time she had been up this early, but suspected it had something do with whatever it was she needed to do. After the sun came up, she watched the streets down below her filling up with people starting their daily routines. She watched, letting her mind wander, until a flash of red caught her eye. Turning out of habit, her breath caught in her throat at what she saw. There, at the west end of the street, was someone wearing a dark green gi with long red hair tied back at the base of his neck. Kaoru saw his profile as he turned and started walking north. "Kenshin," she breathed.

Kaoru seemed to come out of her daze as he disappeared around the corner. She dressed as quickly as she could, wrestling with her clothes and only taking enough time to make sure she was modestly dressed before running out of her room, accidentally stepping on and waking up Megumi in her haste. She fairly flew down the stairs and was running down the street as if her life depended on it. Despite her best efforts to be quick, not only her clothes, but also the very crowds of people seemed to be against her. Pushing and elbowing her way through the crowds, she finally arrived at where she had seen Kenshin. She was too late. He was already gone.

Not one to give up easily, Kaoru searched for him all morning and well into the afternoon before Sano found her.

"Oi, Jou-chan! Where have you been?! We've been looking for you all day!" Sano hollered, grabbing her arm as she turned to go down another street.

Kaoru blinked, as if just noticing Sano was there. "Oh, Sano! I'm so glad you're here. You'll never guess what happened! Yesterday, I was in the marketplace, and I heard these two old women talking about Kenshin!" she said, excitedly.

Sano cut her off. "Jou-chan, did you listen to the entire story? The rumor is that Battousai, leading a group of bandits, beat and robbed some travelers on the road. Does that sound like Kenshin to you? It's just another fake Battousai. Besides, you know Kenshin's dead. You saw Mt. Hiei," Sano said, quietly.

Kaoru was not to be discouraged, however. "But, Sano, I _saw_ him! This morning, I was sitting by the window, watching the street, and I saw him! He's here, Sano! You've got to help me find him!" she said, pleadingly.

Sano looked indecisive for a moment, but finally nodded his head. "Alright, Jou-chan. Let's split up, so we can cover more ground," he said.

Excited, she agreed and they separated. About fifteen minutes later, she saw Sano talking to Megumi and Yahiko in front of a shop. She made her way over to them, eager to organize the search. She stopped when she heard what Sano was saying and quickly hid in one of the nearby shops before they saw her.

"She thinks she saw Kenshin this morning. I'm tellin' ya, Megumi, she's totally flipped!" Sano said, his voice worried.

Megumi, who had her arms crossed, raised her finger to her chin, thinking. "Well, she hasn't had any problems so far. Why would she start hallucinating now?" she wondered.

"It's because of that fake Battousai. There's a rumor going around that Battousai is in town, and she heard part of it. She must have thought that it meant Kenshin was still alive," Sano said.

"Yes, that might have triggered the hallucination," Megumi agreed.

"So, what do we do?" Yahiko asked, a little uncertainly. He was worried about Kaoru, but he had no idea how to help her.

Megumi seemed to contemplate the matter. "Well, it would be best if we left here as soon as possible. With the rumors about Battousai, she'll only get worse. We need to go somewhere that has no relation to Kenshin, whatsoever."

"Kaoru's not gonna want to leave until she finds Kenshin," Sano said.

"Well, we have to think of a way to get her out of here," Megumi replied.

Kaoru had heard enough. They were so distracted by the conversation, they didn't notice her slip away. She wandered the streets aimlessly, not even bothering to hold back her tears. She had finally seen Kenshin again, only to lose him in the crowds and now her friends, who were supposed to be supportive, thought she was crazy.

_Could they be right?_ she thought, more tears coursing down her cheeks. _Maybe I am crazy, and I just don't know it. I mean, Sano was right, there's no way Kenshin could have survived. And I spent all day looking for him, and what do I have to show for it? Am I really crazy?_ In her mind, she saw Kenshin as she had seen him that morning. The image was strikingly clear. _No! I did not imagine it! Kenshin was really here! I don't know how he did it, but he survived! And I'm going to find him!_ she thought, resolutely, wiping the tears from her cheeks. It didn't matter whether everyone else thought she was crazy. She was going to find Kenshin.

Looking around her, she was surprised to see that she had walked back to the inn where they were staying. She walked down the street, once again going to the place where she had last seen Kenshin. Standing there, she closed her eyes, picturing him turning and walking down the road. He had looked so sad. _Where was he going?_ Kaoru wondered. Idly, she noted that this road went completely through the town. It was then that it hit her.

_Kaoru no baka! Kenshin **was** connected to the Battousai incident. What with all of the rumors, he would have to leave town! That's why he looked so sad! He probably followed this road north, out of town!_ she thought, excitedly. She turned back towards the inn, eager to tell the others. She stopped before she got two steps. _I can't tell anyone about this. They think I'm crazy, and they won't go if I tell them why I want to go north._ She thought, trying to come up with a reason. _Wait a minute! They want to get me out of town, anyway! I don't even have to approach the subject--I just have to make sure we go the right way!_

With a light heart, Kaoru walked back to the inn. Tired from searching for Kenshin all day, she went up to her room and went to sleep, not even bothering to wait up for everyone else to get back.

. . .

Kenshin reached Iakayama around three o'clock that afternoon. Since he had left Ontako before eating breakfast and without buying any food for the road, he decided to eat a late lunch/early dinner at a restaurant. Choosing one called Ryotei Toyoshoku, he entered it, sitting down in one of the booths. He ordered a bowl of plain hot soba, not wanting to splurge too much.

After he had finished his meal, he explored the town, familiarizing himself with it, until the sun started to set. Deciding to start looking for a job the next day, he found a small inn centrally located in the town called The Kouyuu Inn and, after paying, retired to his room for the night.

. . .

The next morning, everyone went down for breakfast. They ate in a bit of an awkward silence, until Megumi caught Sano's eye, giving him a meaningful look.

"Hey, guess what I heard yesterday? Apparently, there's a harvest festival in Iakayama, in about two weeks. We should go check it out," he said.

"Two weeks? We need to leave as soon as possible, if we want to get rooms at an inn," Megumi said. She and Sano watched Kaoru, waiting for her reaction.

Kaoru paused, thinking. _Iakayama? Yes, I believe that's a town north of here._ "I think that's a wonderful idea," she said. Although Megumi didn't show any surprise, Sano couldn't quite hide his. Kaoru turned to him. "I thought about what you said, Sano. I hadn't heard the entire rumor. It was just another fake Battousai. I guess I just over-reacted," she explained, sadly.

Sano put his hand on her shoulder. "That's understandable, Jou-chan. We all wish Kenshin were here," he said, squeezing her shoulder lightly. He was secretly glad that Kaoru wasn't as insane as they all thought.

Kaoru averted her eyes, looking down at her unfinished breakfast. _Thanks a lot, guys,_ she thought, trying to get rid of the tears that stung her eyes. She had kind of hoped that one of them would contradict her. It still hurt to know that they believed her to be insane. "Well, if we're leaving as soon as possible, I need to go and pack!" she said, standing up and heading for the door. It wouldn't do for them to see her cry. "I'm not really hungry, so Yahiko and Sano can finish my breakfast," she called over her shoulder as she reached the door. Any comment that might have been made about her strange behavior was lost in the fight between Sano and Yahiko over the remaining food.

For all their talk of haste, it wasn't until two hours later that they were packed and on the road to Iakayama.

. . .

Kenshin woke up early, and began searching for a job. He went from store to store, but no one had any positions open. This continued all morning and well into the afternoon before he took a break. Stopping by the inn to pick up a bento box, because he had missed lunch, he walked down and sat by the river, staring into the water. He ate his lunch and let his mind wander.

_It is unfortunate that I haven't been able to find a job. However, it may be better that I not stay here. After all, it is only twenty-five miles from Ontako, and rumors do have a tendency to spread far and wide._ A few leaves fluttered by in the breeze, reminding him of the season. _And what of my memory? It has been several weeks, and I am no closer to remembering what I have forgotten than I was when I left Kyoto. How long shall there be this gap in my memory? Shall I ever regain what I have lost?_ Kenshin wondered, sadly, watching as the leaves fluttered down into the water and were quickly pulled under by the swift current. Many such thoughts occupied his mind as the sun sank lower into the sky.

Eventually, the sound of children playing distracted him from his thoughts. Not being able to resist, Kenshin rose and followed the sound. Having chosen a secluded spot on the river, Kenshin was on the outskirts of town. Following the children's laughter, he came upon a large clearing. Gathered inside were a group of children, several of whom were flying kites. The strings were passed around, all the children getting a turn. They ran around, trying to keep the kites airborne, while also staying away from the trees.

Kenshin couldn't help but smile as he watched the children playing. Then, his sharp hearing picked out another sound, similar to the laughter, but different. One of the children was crying. Following the sound to its source, Kenshin found a little girl. She was sitting underneath a tree, with a string clutched tightly in her hand. He walked over to her and squatted down to her level. "What's wrong, little one?" he asked her, gently.

She looked up at him, tears rolling down her face. "M-my kite got st-st-stuck," she told him, in between sobs as she gestured to the tree. "And I c-can't get it out!"

Looking up, Kenshin could barely make out the kite in the higher branches. Looking back down at the girl, he smiled. "Perhaps this one can get it down for you."

She looked at him, hopefully. "Really?" she asked, eyes wide.

Kenshin looked back at the kite. It was stuck really high. "I can try," he said, jumping up into the lower branches. The girl watched as Kenshin carefully made his way to the higher branches. Testing the branches to make sure they wouldn't break under his weight, he climbed until he was even with the kite. Unfortunately, the kite had been snagged between the ends of two branches away from the trunk of the tree. Slowly, he walked out on a limb, stretching his arm to reach the kite. His fingers brushed the edge of the kite when he heard a loud crack.

The girl screamed as Kenshin fell, drawing the attention of all the other children. They all watched as Kenshin plummeted towards the ground.

Kenshin's reflexes took over, twisting his body to allow for a better landing. He hit the ground, crouching on his feet with his right hand out in front of him, supporting him. His left hand was holding his sword, making sure it stayed in his obi. _Shishou, thank you for making me practice my landings so much,_ he thought, pausing to make sure he hadn't injured himself in the fall.

The children, who had been watching, started cheering. "Man, that was so _cool!_"

"How'd you do that?!"

"Can you teach me how to do that?!"

"Did you see that? He was gonna hit the ground, but then he flipped in mid air and landed perfectly! That was awesome!"

Deciding he hadn't been injured, Kenshin stood and looked back at the kite. It was still in the tree, but the second branch holding it in place had broken when Kenshin fell. Deciding a good yank in the right direction would free the paper contraption, Kenshin walked over to the little girl. "May I see your string?" he asked, smiling.

She handed him the string, and he walked away from the tree, back into the open. When he was far enough away, he pulled the string sharply. The kite came out of the tree easily, and landed on the ground a few feet away from him.

Excited, the little girl ran over and hugged him. "Thank you! You got my kite out!" she said, before grabbing her kite and running back to the center of the field with the others.

Kenshin smiled as he watched them for a few more minutes, then headed back towards town. On his way, he happened to overhear part of a conversation between a woman and merchant.

"Please, my husband was recently injured while trying to fix the roof of our house. We live on the other side of town, and I can't carry that by myself. Could you please have someone deliver it?" she asked, indicating a large barrel of rice.

The merchant shook his head. "I'm sorry, ma'am, but all of my help has gone home for the day, and I can't leave the store unattended," he explained, apologetically.

"Perhaps I could carry it for you," Kenshin said, stepping towards them.

The woman turned towards him. He looked young and kind of scrawny, but any help would be appreciated at this point. "That's very generous of you, young man. I am in your debt," she said as Kenshin picked up the barrel, balancing it on his shoulder easily. _He's stronger than he looks,_ she thought. "My house is this way," she said, walking down the street. Kenshin followed her.

She led him to a small house. There was a ladder leaning against the side, and some tools were scattered around it. Going inside, she led him to the kitchen. "Please put the rice down over there," she said pointing.

Kenshin did as he was instructed. "You mentioned your husband was injured while trying to repair your roof. If you would like, I could finish it for you. A leaking roof is not something to have during the rainy season, that it is not."

The woman hesitated for a moment before nodding her head. "I would really appreciate that. I assume you saw the ladder on your way in? That's where he was working. Everything you need should be outside."

Nodding, Kenshin returned back outside. It would be getting dark soon, so he would have to work quickly. Climbing the ladder, he noticed that all that was left to be done was the replacement of a few tiles. Climbing back down the ladder, he gathered all the necessary materials and quickly got to work. He finished just as the sun sank below the horizon. Climbing down the ladder, he gathered up all the tools and knocked on the front door. "Here are your husband's tools," he said, handing them to the lady. "There wasn't much left to be done, so it didn't take me that long to finish it."

"How much do I owe you?" she asked.

Kenshin shook his head. "It was my pleasure, that it was. You don't owe me anything," he said, turning to go.

"Wait. It's late--please stay for dinner. It's the least we can do," she said. "Besides, my husband and I don't have visitors very often."

Smiling, Kenshin agreed, and followed her back into the house,

. . .

Kaoru et al reached Iakayama around 6:00 pm and decided to look for an inn, despite how early it was. Traveling so soon after reaching Ontako had made everyone a little sore, and they were all looking forward to a nice, hot bath. The first inn they came to, at least that they were willing to stay at, was called The Kouyuu Inn. They paid for their rooms and all took a bath, Megumi and Kaoru in one bath room, and Sano and Yahiko in another.

After their baths, they ate dinner in the dining room. Their meal was interrupted by a scream and a crash coming from the kitchen. Abandoning their meal, they all hurried in, wondering what had happened.

Apparently, a young girl had been climbing on the shelves when her weight had caused the entire cabinet to fall on top of her. The girl was crying while the kitchen staff were trying to pick up the cabinet. Sano and Yahiko immediately went over to help, lifting it easily. Kaoru joined in as they began un-burying the girl from the kitchen utensils. The girl screamed when Sano lifted a partially full barrel of rice off of her arm, and Megumi was at her side instantly. She examined the arm, noting the slightly odd angle it was bent at. She turned to tell Sano to get her some supplies when the innkeeper interrupted her.

"What's going on in here?" he demanded, noticing the mess in his kitchen. When his eyes fell on the crying girl's face, he ran over to her, pushing Megumi out of the way. "Yuriko! Are you all right?!" he started to pick the girl up, but she screamed again as he accidentally hit her arm.

"Stop it! Her arm's broken--you're only making it worse!" Megumi said, stopping him from moving the child any further. "I'm a doctor. Fetch all the medicine you have here, and someone start boiling some water," she instructed.

Two members of the kitchen staff moved to carry out Megumi's orders, while the innkeeper remained at Yuriko's side.

"What was a girl doing in the kitchen?" Sano asked, still moving items off of the girl.

"She's my daughter," the innkeeper said, "she comes and goes as she pleases."

One of the employees returned with the medicine. Megumi looked over the contents, picking up two items. "Good, you have willow bark and tienchi ginseng. Use these to make a tea, steeped for ten to fifteen minutes," she instructed. She turned back to the innkeeper. "Perhaps you would like to send for your family doctor? I have to set the arm before it starts to swell, but a second doctor would be useful, especially if she has any other injuries," Megumi suggested.

"I can't spare anyone to fetch the doctor--" he started.

Yahiko cut him off. "I'll go," he volunteered. He didn't like feeling useless, and there wasn't much he could do here. "Just give me directions, and I'm pretty sure I can find him."

The innkeeper looked at him gratefully. "His name is Royama Mashai. He lives on the east side of town."

After getting directions to the doctor's house, Yahiko left, being sure to grab his shinai. After all, you never knew when you were going to need it.

He found the doctor's house relatively easily, and was soon heading back towards the inn, doctor in tow. Having a pretty good idea of where he was headed, Yahiko decided to cut down some of the back alleys, as a short cut. Unfortunately, this turned out to be a bad idea.

As they neared the exit for the alley, two men stepped out from the shadows, blocking their path. "Where're ya going in such a hurry?" one of them asked.

Looking behind him out of reflex, Yahiko noticed five more men behind them.

"Someone as well dressed as you ought to have a lot of cash," the first man said, talking to the doctor. Yahiko drew his shinai, rushing at the two men blocking their way. Not really expecting the kid to be a problem, he took them by surprise, knocking them out. "Run! I'll hold them off!" he yelled to the doctor.

Mashai didn't need to be told twice, quickly running past Yahiko with a quick "Thank you."

Yahiko faced the yakuza as the doctor continued toward the inn. Three more men fell to Yahiko's shinai before the yakuza realized the boy actually had some skills. One of the remaining two ran off, almost instantly reappearing with a lot more guys. They quickly surrounded the boy, most of them unsheathing real swords.

Fortunately for Yahiko, the fact that they were all trying to skewer him at the same time caused them to constantly hit one another's swords. Also the fact that Yahiko was half their size meant he was a smaller target, making him even harder to hit.

Yahiko was holding his own, for the most part. Unfortunately, he was so focused on the swords that he didn't notice the bokken until it connected with the back of his head. Stunned, he fell to the ground; unable to do anything as he watched several yakuza members raise their swords, preparing to end his life.

. . .

**To Be Continued**


	13. Meeting

Disclaimer: If I owned it, this would be in the manga and anime and I wouldn't have to work at Walmart.

Timetable:

Day 1- Kaoru- traveling; Kenshin- traveling.

Day 2- Kaoru- traveling; Kenshin- traveling.

Day 3- Kaoru et al reach Kofu; Kenshin- traveling.

Day 4- Kaoru- Kofu; Kenshin- traveling.

Day 5- Kaoru- Kofu; Kenshin- traveling.

Day 6- Kaoru- Kofu; Kenshin reaches Nagoya.

Day 7- Kaoru- Kofu; Kenshin continues traveling.

Day 8- Kaoru- Kofu; Kenshin reaches Ontako.

Day 9- Kaoru- Kofu; Kenshin- Ontako

Day 10- Kaoru leaves Kofu; Kenshin- Ontako

Day 11- Kaoru- traveling; Kenshin- Ontako

Day 12- Kaoru- reaches Ontako (dusk); Kenshin- Ontako

Day 13- Kaoru- Ontako; Kenshin- Ontako

Day 14- Kaoru- Ontako; Kenshin- traveling, reaches Iakayama

Day 15- Kaoru- traveling, reaches Iakayama; Kenshin- Iakayama

Day 16- Now you're all caught up!

**Chapter 13**

A voice cut through the night air, halting the yakuzas' swords before they hit their target. "A group of fifteen men armed with swords are very brave when facing a boy armed with only a mere shinai."

The yakuza members looked back down the alley, noticing a lone man standing there. He was a little on the short side, although his features were obscured by the shadows. A sword could be seen at his side.

"I suggest you don't try to interfere with our fun. We may be forced to kill you next," one of the yakuza said, an underlying threat in his voice.

"If it takes all fifteen of you to subdue one boy when you have the advantage not only in size and strength, but in numbers and weapons as well, then I suggest you do not challenge this one--for it will be a fight you will not walk away from. My level of skill is more than sufficient to deal with _cowards_ like all of you."

Now the yakuza members were becoming very upset, and Yahiko was all but forgotten. Who was this guy who thought he could talk to them like that? One thing was for sure--they were going to make him pay for such flippant words. "We gave you a chance to walk away. You're gonna regret not taking it," one of the yakuza said as they started towards the man, threateningly.

"On the contrary--I am the only one that _will_ walk away this night."

Caution thrown to the wind, the yakuza all charged, intent on ending this pathetic man's life. Kenshin allowed himself a small smile. _Well, you've done it again, Himura. You made them angry enough to forget all about the boy--_ Kenshin spared a quick glance towards Yahiko, who had sat up and was looking around, dazedly. _--and now they are only interested in your blood. Well, shouldn't keep them waiting, should we?_ Kenshin thought, dropping into a battoujutsu stance. He watched with a practiced eye as the first three men neared him. When they had come close enough, he jumped forward, unsheathing his sword in one smooth movement. The first three went down without even seeing him move.

Quickly, Kenshin jumped onto one of the roofs and back down, landing between the yakuza and Yahiko. "I'll give you one more chance to walk away. I'll see that none of you do, should you refuse."

Slightly confused on how he had gotten behind them, the yakuza turned and charged at him again. They still had the advantage in numbers.

Sighing at their stupidity, Kenshin met them head on, taking down two more. He ran around a third, knocking him out with a blow to the back of the head. Seeing a sword coming towards him from the corner of his eye, Kenshin brought up his sheath and blocked. Wasting no time with a battle of strength, Kenshin swung his sword at the man's legs. There was the sickening crack of at least one bone breaking, and the man fell to the ground, crying out in pain. Hearing a blade whistling through the air towards his head, Kenshin ducked under the swing, spinning and bringing his sword up for a counter-attack. More bones snapped as Kenshin's sword connected with the man's ribcage, sending him to the ground in agony. Kenshin looked up, seeing another man charging towards him, sword forward in a thrust. Stepping slightly to the side, Kenshin dodged the sword, but grabbed the man's arm; spinning him around and using his own momentum to send him head first into a wall. He crumpled to the ground, unconscious. Kenshin, sensing someone behind him, realized he didn't have time to dodge or block. Instead, he thrust his sheath out behind him, feeling it impact and hearing a high-pitched scream. Turning around, slightly confused at the man's cry, he saw the man laying on the ground, curled into the fetal position. The man was a bit taller than Kenshin, so the hit was a little lower than the redhead had intended it to be.

Although cringing mentally at the pain he had accidentally caused, Kenshin turned and faced the remaining five yakuza members, his face an emotionless mask.

They stood there, staring at him for a moment, before taking off running in the other direction. They had just seen one guy defeat ten other members of the yakuza, and they were not about to challenge him. Unfortunately for them, they had forgotten that the challenge had already been given and accepted.

"I already told you--none of you shall walk away from this fight," Kenshin said, coldly, starting after them. He paused, remembering the boy. Momentarily indecisive, Kenshin looked back at the Yahiko. He was more alert, using his shinai to help him stand up. Deciding the boy would be fine until he got back, Kenshin slid his sword back into its sheath, and ran after the remaining five members of the yakuza.

. . .

Yahiko's head hurt. And all the noise wasn't helping matters. Finally, there was a pause in the battle before several people ran in the opposite direction.

"I already told you--none of you shall walk away from this fight."

Although the voice sounded vaguely familiar, it sent chills down Yahiko's back and he struggled to stand. If someone wanted to kill him, he wasn't going down without a fight. After he had managed to get himself in an upright position, he paused, centering himself. Upon hearing a sword scrape against its sheath, he opened his eyes, looking for his attacker. What he saw was someone running away from him, moonlight flashing off of his long, red hair as he ran around the corner.

Yahiko recognized the hair and matched the voice to its owner. _That was Kenshin's voice--the one he used when he fought Saito. But, Kenshin's dead..._ Yahiko thought, his muddled mind trying to come up with an explanation for what his eyes and ears told him. He was jolted out of his thoughts when he heard a voice behind him.

"Oi, Yahiko! Izzat you?" Sano called, running down the street.

Yahiko winced, Sano's loud voice making his head pound worse. "Shut up, Sano--people are trying to sleep, you know," he said, after Sano had made it over to him.

The street fighter didn't seem to hear him. "So, where are the yakuza? I've been itchin' for a good fight!" he said, excitedly.

"You're too late."

"What?! You mean to tell me you had all the fun without me?!"

Having taken care of the last five yakuza, Kenshin was making his way back to where he had left the boy. He increased his speed when he felt another strong, hostile ki with the boy's. The boy didn't seem bothered by this other person, but Kenshin hid in the shadows, wanting to make sure.

"It wasn't me," Yahiko admitted, sullenly. The fact that he had to be rescued did not sit well with him.

"It wasn't you? The doctor told us you held 'em off while he ran on ahead. Are you telling me you turned tail and ran?" Sano asked, trying to get a rise out of Yahiko.

"Sano, I'm not in the mood for your taunts, right now. Besides, I didn't get a chance to run, even if I wanted to. I was outnumbered and they had swords."

Sano, noticing all the cockiness was gone from Yahiko's attitude, became serious. "So, what happened?"

"They hit me in the back of the head, and another swordsman came."

"Didja see what he looked liked?" Sano asked, curiously.

Yahiko paused. "He looked like Kenshin," he said quietly.

Kenshin, assured that the boy knew the gangster, was walking back down the alley when Yahiko's words caused him to halt. _Oro?! Sure, the boy could have seen me, but how does he know who I am? I've never met either one of them before!_ Kenshin thought, confused. Sano spoke, drawing Kenshin's attention back to the conversation.

"Yahiko, Kenshin's dead. We all wish he were here, but--" Sano started, softly.

"I know that!" Yahiko snapped, cutting him off. He winced, putting one hand to his head. He was confused, and he didn't like it one bit. "Look, I was hit on the back of the head, and with Kaoru hallucinating... I probably just imagined that Kenshin was the one who saved me."

_Yes, that makes sense. They knew someone named Kenshin who died, and the boy's muddled mind thought I was he. Quite ironic that he confused me with another man by the name of Kenshin..._ the red head thought, smiling at the irony. Now that the matter had been taken care of, Kenshin disappeared back into the shadows, heading for the police station. He hadn't lied when he said none of the yakuza would walk away from this fight. He'd made sure that they would all have to be carried, due to injury or unconsciousness, to the jail.

. . .

Megumi examined Yahiko's head as soon he and Sano arrived back at the inn. The girl had been tended to, and Sano offered to escort the older doctor home, for protection. Kaoru insisted she go with them, in order to keep Sano from getting lost.

Having all her supplies in her room, Megumi treated Yahiko in there. After examining his head, Megumi came to the conclusion that he only had a minor concussion. "You're lucky, Yahiko. You got off easy, with only a minor concussion. There should be some more of the tea I gave to Yuriko in the kitchen. It'll help with the headache I'm sure you have," she said, a little teasingly.

"Megumi, will a concussion cause a person to hallucinate?" Yahiko asked.

Megumi paused, thinking. "A concussion is basically classified as a temporary loss of consciousness, due to a blow to the head. Disorientation, or temporary incapacity is usually experienced upon waking. No, a concussion will not likely cause a person to hallucinate. Why do you ask?"

Yahiko remained silent.

Putting her supplies back in her bag, she decided to pry. "Tell me, Yahiko. What's bothering you? You've been quiet since you got back. I know it's not the headache--something else is bothering you. What happened out there that I don't know about?" she asked, her voice serious.

There was a pause before Yahiko spoke, still facing away from her, towards the door. "I was overwhelmed, and I had to be rescued," he said, at last.

"Well, there's no shame in that. Sano is a bit older than you, and has more experience--" Megumi began.

"It wasn't Sano who rescued me," Yahiko said, interrupting her.

Intrigued, Megumi leaned forward slightly. "Is that what's bothering you? Your mysterious rescuer?"

"Kinda."

"Did you know him?"

"I'm not sure."

Megumi was a little surprised. "How can you not be sure if you know him or not?"

"I was pretty much out of it during the fight, but I recognized his voice. And his hair. It was Kenshin," Yahiko whispered. There was a pause before Yahiko continued. "Megumi, am I going crazy? Like... like Kaoru?" he asked, his voice barely above a whisper.

Megumi opened her mouth to reply, then shut it again. What could she say?

Taking her silence for his answer, Yahiko hung his head. Without another word, he stood, and exited the room.

. . .

The next morning, Kenshin woke up bright and early. The wound on his back was a little sore from his excursions the night before, but it wasn't too serious. Nothing a good workout wouldn't take care of. Going down into the dining room, he ate a quick breakfast, and walked to the outskirts of town. Finding a secluded place to suit his needs, Kenshin began his kata.

. . .

Due to the activities of the previous night, Kaoru et al were a little late in rising. Remembering her reason for wanting to come to this town, Kaoru told the others she was going out, to do a little sightseeing. Unfortunately, Sano wanted to come with her. Not wanting to raise anyone's suspicions by refusing, she agreed, reluctantly leaving the inn with Sano in tow. How could she search for Kenshin with Sano hanging around?

. . .

After completing a rather rigorous workout, Kenshin returned to the inn and took a bath. Feeling much better after his workout, Kenshin decided to do a little more job hunting. Since he had already asked around on the north side of town, he decided to try his luck on the south side.

The morning passed, and well into the afternoon Kenshin searched, still having no luck. He was getting ready to call it a day when he felt a spike of fearful ki from one of the shops he had just passed. He turned as he heard a yell from the shop, and a man came running out, clutching a bag, tightly. The man didn't see Kenshin, and the red head neglected to move out of the man's way in time, accidentally tripping the man.

Kenshin tried to catch the man as he fell, the red head's hand accidentally bumping the hilt of his sword, and putting it in the path of the man's head. The momentum from his attempted escape caused him to hit the sword's hilt hard on the side of his head, knocking him out.

Kenshin apologized to the comatose man. "Gomen, but you really should watch where you're going, that you should," Kenshin said, calmly walking down the street and disappearing around the corner.

Not five seconds later, a woman came running out of the shop, her eyes searching for any sign of the thief. Seeing him lying on the ground, she quickly ran over and retrieved the money he had stolen from her. She looked up and down the street, searching for the man who had stopped the thief, but Kenshin was already gone.

Feeling a little better knowing the day hadn't been a complete waste, Kenshin headed back to the inn.

. . .

Kaoru was a little disappointed. She had been out all day and had seen no sign of Kenshin. She hadn't been able to do as much searching as she would have liked due to Sano's presence, but it was still a little disconcerting. Arriving back at the inn, they saw Yahiko coming down the stairs.

"Hey, Yahiko. You seen the kitsune?" Sano asked.

"Yeah, she got back a little while ago. She's in her room," Yahiko said, walking towards the dining room.

Sano went to speak to Megumi. _Probably to report on my behavior,_ Kaoru thought, a little annoyed. She decided to join Yahiko for dinner. Entering the dining room, she hurried over to him, accidentally running into someone who was leaving the room, and ending up on the floor.

"Gomen! Are you alright?" someone asked, extending a hand to help her up.

"Yeah, I'm fine--" she froze as she saw the owner of the hand. Red hair, with a cross-shaped scar on his left cheek and deep violet eyes.

Kenshin bowed. "Gomen, I wasn't watching where I was going. I'm glad you're not hurt, that I am," he said, continuing out of the room.

As he walked past, Kaoru snapped out of her daze, anger building within her. _We've thought he was dead for the past month, then he just pops up and thinks he can walk away from me like that?! Well he's got another thing coming!_ Pulling out her bokken, she swung it at the unsuspecting rurouni's head, screaming, "**_KENSHIN, YOU JERK!_**"

Kenshin felt a change in the woman's ki as soon as he stepped past her. Blocking out all other sounds, he heard a bokken being drawn and coming towards his head. Pulling his sword and sheath from his obi, he quickly spun bringing up his sheathed sword and meeting her bokken head on. He glared at her across their crossed weapons. "For what reason do you attack me from behind without warning?" he asked, his voice carefully emotionless.

Kaoru froze, this time in something akin to fear. _Kenshin's never raised his sword to me before. Something must be wrong..._ "Kenshin, don't you recognize me?" she asked, a little uncertainly, putting away her bokken.

Kenshin stepped back, confusion and surprise showing clearly on his face. _How does this person know who I am...?_ he wondered, replacing his sword in his obi. Her ki was no longer hostile, only confused.

Yahiko was standing a little ways away, trying to figure out if that was really Kenshin or if he was just as crazy as Kaoru. Kenshin was dead. But, then who was standing in front of him?

Megumi and Sano rushed into the room, having heard Kaoru's yell upstairs. They both stopped short, staring at the red haired man before them. Smiling broadly, Sano stepped towards the swordsman.

Kenshin recognized Sano from the night before, but sensing only friendliness in his ki, did not move away when the taller man approached. This turned out to be a bad idea.

Sano raised his hand, bringing it down hard on Kenshin's back in an exuberant greeting. "Kenshin! Where've you been?! We thought you were dead!" he said.

Kenshin stumbled forward from the force of the blow, uttering a small gasp of pain as Sano hit the wound on his back. None of the others noticed, all talking excitedly. Kenshin, for his part, was looking between them, confusion and suspicion upon his features, trying to edge away.

Sano turned to him again, not noticing the looks he was giving everyone. "So, Kenshin, how are your wounds?" he asked.

"Wounds?" Kenshin said, blankly. _How does he know about my wounds? How do any of them know about me?_ he thought, his mind in chaos.

"Don't give me that. I saw how deep that sword went when you were stabbed. Not even you heal that fast," Sano said, looking at Kenshin as if daring him to deny it.

Kenshin wasn't given the chance, as Megumi stepped into the conversation. "Well, if you're injured, I'm going to need to examine your wounds. Let's go up to your room, and have a look."

Something in the way she moved seemed to suggest that she was a doctor, so Kenshin followed her out of the dining hall, if only to get away from all the other people down there. Unfortunately, they followed him, apparently not wanting to let him out of their sight.

Stopping by her room to gather a few medical supplies, Megumi asked Kenshin to lead the way to his room. He did so, continuously glancing at the rest of the group over his shoulder. Megumi noticed this. Upon reaching his room, he entered, followed closely by Megumi.

"I'm going to need you to take off your gi," she said, closing the shoji before anyone else could come in. Kenshin did as he was instructed, but Megumi noticed he seemed slightly more relaxed than before.

Taking a seat behind him, she began untying the bandages wound across his back. Her eyes widened slightly as she saw the wound. It was almost healed enough to the point where he didn't need to bandage it anymore, but it had been a deep wound. She raised her finger, tracing along its edge from Kenshin's right shoulder almost all the way down to his left hip. She noticed it was very red in the center, although it didn't seem to be infected. Looking at it more closely, she noticed the red seemed to be in the shape of a handprint. In her mind's eye, she saw Sano hitting Kenshin's back, and none too gently at that. Her eyes narrowed sharply at the pain Sano must have caused Kenshin. _And he's supposed to know where Kenshin was injured!_ she thought, angrily. Gently applying some ointment to the wound, Megumi re-wrapped it with fresh bandages before moving on to his side.

_This must have been the stab wound Sano mentioned_ Megumi thought. It, like his back, was healing nicely, so she just applied some ointment and re-wrapped it.

"Arigato, but, could you please tell me your name?" Kenshin asked, quietly.

Megumi paused, then continued wrapping his side. "Takani Megumi," she replied, quietly. "Do you have any other wounds?" she asked.

"No."

"Ken-san," she began, a little uncertainly, "am I correct in assuming you suffered a blow to the head?"

There was a pause. Deciding to be truthful, Kenshin answered her question. "Yes, I lost about two months of memories," he said.

"Two months? Do you know what day it is?"

_This line of questioning is sounding familiar,_ he thought. Aloud he said, "I do not know the exact date, but it is early September, tenth year of the Meiji."

"Oh, Kenshin. You have the month correct, but it is now the eleventh year of the Meiji."

Kenshin looked at her sharply. "Are you implying that I have lost not two months, but a _year's_ worth of memories?!"

"If you don't remember coming to Tokyo, then, yes," she said. _Well, that explains why he was uncomfortable around everyone, at least,_ she thought, gathering her supplies. She rose and walked to the door, stopping when she noticed he wasn't following her. She turned back around. "Are you going to bed, then?" she asked.

Kenshin nodded. "Yes, it has been a long day, that it has," he said.

Megumi nodded. "Alright. I hope you sleep well. I'll see you in the morning," she said, exiting the room and closing the shoji behind her. Almost immediately, she was set upon by everyone, asking why Kenshin stayed in his room. "Quiet, all of you! I have some things I need to talk to you about," she said, walking down the hall. They all followed her. She entered hers and Kaoru's room, and began putting away her medical supplies.

"How are his wounds?" Kaoru asked.

"The wounds on his side and on his _back_," she said, glaring at Sano who looked confused, "will continue to heal nicely, as long as they aren't _aggravated_," she continued, still glaring at Sano. His eye's widened as he realized what she was talking about.

"So, is that what you wanted to tell us?" Yahiko asked.

"Actually, there's a problem. Kenshin has lost his memories of the past year. He doesn't remember any of us," she said. Seeing she had their full attention, she continued. "Now, I didn't know Kenshin before he came to Tokyo, but I know he's changed while he's been living there. He's become more trusting and a little more open with his feelings, as well. However, he doesn't remember any of that, so we need to be more careful in how we treat him," she said, giving Kaoru a stern look before continuing. "Also, he thought he had only lost two months' worth of memories, so he's a little shaken up to learn that it was actually a year's worth. I really don't know how he'll react to this. Best case scenario, he'll believe us, and we can help him regain his memories."

"And the worst case scenario?" Kaoru asked.

"He won't believe us. He's probably feeling very vulnerable and more than a little paranoid right now. Anything we tell him may be viewed as an elaborate trap. I don't think he's quite ready to hear about anything that he doesn't remember yet, so you should try to stay away from those topics as much as possible. This is a very delicate time for him in his mental recovery and, depending on our actions, we will either draw him towards us, or drive him away."

. . .

**To Be Continued**


	14. Forgotten

Disclaimer: If I owned it, this would be in the manga and anime and I wouldn't have to work at Walmart.

**Chapter 14**

After Megumi's announcement, everyone went to bed. Sleep did not come easily for Yahiko. He lay awake, thinking about the man he had idolized ever since the red head had saved him from the life of a pickpocket. But instead of the man he had come to respect, in his mind Yahiko heard the words spoken to the yakuza the night before in a voice that made him shiver. Accompanying this voice was a dangerously expressionless glare from the once warm, violet eyes. _I still can't believe Kenshin attacked Kaoru like that. Well, I guess she attacked him first, really, and he just countered, but still... He's never raised his sword to her before, even in defense, at least not that I know of. Is he really that different from the man I knew?_ Yahiko rolled over, trying to find a comfortable position on his futon.

Across the room, Sano was snoring loudly. He, obviously, was not plagued by such doubts.

After lying on his pallet for another hour, Yahiko sighed and got out of bed. _I'm not going to be able to sleep until I can talk to Kenshin and see how much he's really changed,_ Yahiko thought, silently leaving the room, although it was highly unlikely that he could have woken Sano up even if he tried. Closing the door, Yahiko walked until he came to Kenshin's room. He raised his hand to knock before slowly lowering it back down to his side. _Kenshin's probably asleep. I guess I'll have to wait until morning. But, what if he leaves before I get a chance to talk to him?_ Yahiko thought a moment before settling himself on the floor in front of Kenshin's door, leaning against it. He raised his right knee, resting his right arm on it and allowed his head to rest on his chest. He had seen Kenshin sleep this way, with his sword resting against his left shoulder. _I'll just wait until he gets up and I'll talk to him before he gets a chance to leave,_ Yahiko thought, smiling at the brilliance of his plan. He didn't plan on sleeping; but, as the night wore on, his eyelids became heavier and he eventually drifted off to sleep.

. . .

Kenshin awoke early, the events of the previous night still fresh in his mind. _What that woman said makes no sense. How could I have lost a year's worth of memories? And why did she mention me remembering going to Tokyo? She made it seem as if something important happened there. But, I haven't been to Tokyo since it was called Edo. Although, that is where I was planning on going before the gap in my memories..._ Kenshin shook his head, clearing such thoughts from his mind. It would be easy enough to find out whether he had really lost a year's worth of memories or not--ask someone not involved in their group what year it was.

Deciding to get an early start (hopefully before those strange people woke up), Kenshin dressed and moved over to the shoji. He started to open it when he noticed there was more resistance than there should have been. He paused, thinking of all the things that could be the cause. The first thought that came to his mind was some sort of trap, designed to activate when he opened the shoji. Then, a sound caught his attention. Pressing his ear to the shoji to hear better, he confirmed it. Someone was leaning against the shoji to his room--snoring loudly.

Opening the shoji quickly, he caught the person as they fell, being careful not to wake him. Upon closer inspection, Kenshin realized that it was the boy he had saved two nights ago. _Yahiko, if I remember correctly, is what that gangster called him. He is with that group who claim to know me._ After a few moments of indecision, Kenshin laid out his futon and set the boy on it before quietly exiting the room, closing the shoji behind him.

Going down to the dining hall, Kenshin hoped to have a quick breakfast and be out job hunting before anyone else woke up. His hopes were dashed as Kaoru and Megumi walked into the dining hall. He ignored them, eating his breakfast, but they didn't get the hint and sat down with him.

"Good morning, Ken-san."

"Good morning, Megumi-dono."

"Good morning, Kenshin."

"Good morning..." Kenshin trailed off, not knowing this person's name.

Megumi realized the problem and introduced them. "Ken-san, this is Kamiya Kaoru," she said, gesturing to the younger woman next to her.

Kenshin nodded in acknowledgment. "Good morning, Kaoru-dono."

Kaoru smiled. It just felt so good to hear those words again after so long. She could almost forget the fact that Kenshin had no clue who she was.

Sano walked in and joined the group. "Good morning, Sano. Is Yahiko still sleeping? I swear, that kid is so lazy," Kaoru said.

Sanosuke shrugged. "Don't know where he is, Jou-chan. He wasn't there when I woke up. I figured he'd be down here with you guys," he said, digging into the food. "Oh, man, this stuff is great! It's much better than that poison you've been feeding us! I can't believe we let you butcher lunch on the way here," Sano said, in between mouthfuls.

Kenshin, of course, knew where Yahiko was, but no one asked him specifically, and he wasn't one to volunteer information.

Kaoru glared at Sano, all thoughts of her apprentice forgotten. "How _dare_ you insult my cooking!" Kaoru practically shrieked, throwing anything she could get her hands on in Sano's direction.

Out of habit, Sano ducked behind Kenshin, using him as a shield.

Kaoru raised her arm to throw a bowl of rice, looking at her target. Her eyes found Kenshin's instead. Although his face was carefully expressionless, he seemed to be daring her to throw it. After a long pause, Kaoru lowered the bowl and resumed eating, darting glances at Kenshin. An awkward silence descended on the group.

Not being one to stay silent for very long, Sano tried to make friendly conversation. "So, Kenshin, how long before you were able to get out of bed? I mean, you were injured pretty badly after those fights."

"I didn't really keep track of the time, "Kenshin answered, a little guardedly. Sano seemed to know about what had taken place, but Kenshin wasn't sure if he could trust what he was told to be the truth. The fact that Sano knew about Kenshin's wounds indicated he was there, but Kenshin had yet to discover whose side the street fighter had been on.

"So, where've you been?" Kaoru asked, trying to turn the conversation in a different direction.

"Here and there," Kenshin answered, noncommittally. This was starting to sound more like an interrogation rather than a conversation. _What are you trying to find out? What do you want from me?_ Kenshin thought, sipping his tea. Having finished with his breakfast, Kenshin rose from the table and started walking towards the door.

"Kenshin, where're you going?" Kaoru asked, a little worriedly. She was afraid that he'd disappear again if she let him out of her sight.

Kenshin turned, looking at her. "I'm going out, that I am," he told her, curtly.

"Wait, I'll come with you! We just got here the day before yesterday, so I haven't really got to see that much of the town," she hastily explained, leaving her unfinished breakfast in Sano's capable hands.

Mentally sighing, Kenshin left the inn, Kaoru hot on his heels.

. . .

Yahiko woke up feeling a little sore, as if he'd been sitting in the same position all night. He sat up, groaning a little bit, and looked over to where Sano was sleeping. There wasn't so much as a second futon in the room. A little startled, Yahiko tried to remember any reason that he would be alone. _Last night... Kenshin! Kenshin was here! And I sat in front of his room so I could talk to him when he woke up. I guess I feel asleep. Did Kenshin put me in his bed?_ Yahiko wondered, looking out into the hallway. _Yep, this is Kenshin's room. That means, he's already left! I gotta find him!_ he thought. He hurriedly dressed and devoured breakfast as quickly as he could before leaving the inn to comb the streets for any sign of the rurouni.

. . .

Kenshin, not really being able to look for a job with Kaoru constantly at his side, had been just wandering the streets all morning. Hoping she'd get hungry and go away, Kenshin didn't stop for lunch.

"Hey, Kenshin, do you want to stop and eat somewhere?" Kaoru asked, hopefully. They had been walking around town all morning and she was both tired and hungry.

"I'm not hungry, that I'm not. However, you may feel free to stop and eat somewhere if you'd like."

"No, I'm not really all that hungry, myself," Kaoru replied. If Kenshin wasn't going to stop for lunch, then neither was she. It wouldn't kill her if she missed a meal or two.

Kenshin sighed, mentally, at her persistence. _Does she have nothing better to do than follow me around all day? I know she's tired and hungry, but still she refuses to leave me. Why?_ Kenshin wondered, walking down another street. After another hour of idly walking around, Kenshin realized that he had not looked for a job in this part of town. Deciding that Kaoru was obviously not going to leave, he decided to continue job hunting. He walked into the first shop and enquired about any positions.

"As a matter of fact, we do need another person. Are you looking for a job?" the shopkeeper asked.

Before Kenshin could respond, Kaoru interrupted them. "Wait a minute, Kenshin! Why are you getting a job? What about when we go back to Tokyo?"

"I'm sorry, young man, but I don't have any temporary positions open. I need someone who's going to be here awhile."

"But--" Kenshin started.

The shopkeeper interrupted him. "Let me guess, you're not going back to Tokyo with her? Young man, whatever you two are fighting about will seem trivial in time, and you'll end up going back to her. No, I'm sorry, I need someone who is going to be here awhile."

Seeing the shopkeeper already had his mind made up, Kenshin bowed to him. "Thank you for your time," he said, turning to go. A blushing Kaoru followed him out of the shop.

_The only job I've found in this town, and I lost it because of Kaoru-dono,_ Kenshin thought, a little angry. Taking a deep breath, he let his anger slip away, rationalizing thoughts taking its place. _No, he wanted someone who would be here awhile. It wouldn't have been too long before someone found out about my past and I had to leave, so I suppose it was better this way. Although, why does she want me to go to Tokyo?_ he wondered. Kaoru was still following him around like a little lost puppy, so Kenshin voiced his question. "Kaoru-dono?" he said, getting her attention.

She perked up immediately. "Hai, Kenshin?"

"This one was wondering... Why did you say I was going back to Tokyo with you?"

"Because that's where we live. I run a dojo, although Yahiko is my only student right now. All three of us live there. It's been about a year since you guys moved in with me," she said, happy to supply Kenshin with the answer to any question he asked.

_I've lived there for a year? That's got to be a record. An entire year with no one finding out about my past... It won't last, though. It's better I leave now before they find out. And, before I regain my memories and want to stay... _ "If you knew who I was, neither you, nor your family, would want me around," Kenshin said, a little sadly.

Kaoru shook her head. "My family's gone. I was all alone before you came. And, I _do_ know who you were-- back during the revolution. I found out the day after I met you. But, like I told you then, I don't care about the past," Kaoru said, quietly.

Kenshin was having trouble organizing his thoughts. _This girl expects me to believe that she allowed me to stay with her, knowing I was Battousai? And she was living alone, at that! Do these people think I'm stupid?!_ Kenshin thought, angrily. Kaoru's story was too ridiculous to believe, but he didn't sense any dishonesty in her aura. This confused him, throwing his mind into even more chaos. He needed to go somewhere and sort out his thoughts-- alone.

"Gomen, Kaoru-dono, demo, this one needs to be alone for awhile," he said, trying to remain polite.

Kaoru looked a little hurt that he was asking her to leave, but she nodded, and watched as he walked away from her down the street.

Several streets later, Kenshin was beginning to become annoyed. He had politely asked her to leave him alone, and she was now following him. He had given her the benefit of the doubt, assuming they just happened to be headed in the same direction. So, he had turned off on several streets, walking the opposite direction, but still she followed him. Deciding he'd had enough, Kenshin turned into an alley and jumped up onto the roof. He traveled by rooftop for a while until he was sure she couldn't find him. Then, he jumped down to the ground in another alley and walked back out onto the street.

Kenshin recognized the street he was on and turned to head out of town, away from people, when one of the shopkeepers called him over. Curious, he walked over to the shop.

"I wanted to thank you for what you did the other day," the clerk said.

. . .

Yahiko had been walking around town for hours and he had yet to see any sign of Kenshin. He was thinking about going back to the inn to wait when he saw the red head in question exit an alley. Kenshin looked around, as if getting his bearings, before heading off in the opposite direction. Yahiko hurried after him as Kenshin was called over by one of the shopkeepers.

"I wanted to thank you for what you did the other day," the clerk said.

"Oro?"

"When you carried the barrel of rice home for one of my customers. Normally, I would send Oniji on errands like that, but he had to go home early because he was sick. It was very generous of you to carry the rice to that lady's house for her."

"Oh, it was nothing. I was happy to help, that I was."

Yahiko relaxed a little as he neared them, feeling a bit better. _Kenshin hasn't changed all that much,_ he thought, catching up to Kenshin, who had continued down the street. "Hey, Kenshin!"

"Oro?" Kenshin turned around when he heard his name, spotting Yahiko. _Not another one. Don't you people understand that I need some time alone?_ Kenshin thought, a little annoyed. However, the boy hadn't done anything, so Kenshin smiled as he walked up. "Good afternoon, Yahiko-kun. Did you sleep well?"

Yahiko looked a little embarrassed. "Gomen for sitting in front of your door all night, but I wanted to talk to you," he said, looking at the ground.

"Oh? And what did you want to talk about?"

Yahiko hadn't really planned out what he wanted to say. "Uh, thanks. For the other night, I mean. I was in way over my head-- again. I'm trying to get stronger, like you told me to, but it's never enough! You always have to come and save me, in the end," Yahiko said, sullenly. He hated having to admit being weak, even if it was to someone like Kenshin.

Kenshin placed his hand on the younger boy's shoulder. Startled, Yahiko looked at the red head. Kenshin smiled at him encouragingly. "As long as you did your best, there is nothing to be ashamed of. Keep practicing, and you _will_ become stronger, Yahiko-kun. I guarantee it," he said, squeezing his shoulder.

Before Yahiko could respond, a police officer walked up to Kenshin. "Excuse me, were you the one who informed us of the yakuza activities the other night?" he asked.

Kenshin nodded.

"Could you please come with me? We need you to identify some of the men you defeated two nights ago."

Kenshin started to follow the officer when Yahiko spoke up. "I'm coming, too."

The policeman turned back around. "I'm afraid this isn't a matter for children," he said, dismissively.

"Children?! I took out five of those guys before Kenshin even got there!" Yahiko practically yelled. He didn't like people looking down on him just because of his age.

The officer looked at Kenshin, waiting for him to deny it. Kenshin gave the officer his rurouni smile. "It's true, five of the men were unconscious before I got there. Besides, this is the boy they were attacking. Don't you need to get a statement from him?"

"Fine. Come with me, both of you," the officer said, curtly, walking down the road at a brisk pace. Yahiko walked behind him, a smug look on his face. Kenshin brought up the rear, looking at Yahiko thoughtfully. _From the way he acts, I would guess that he has samurai blood in him. He is proud of his accomplishments and does not like to be slighted when it comes to recognition for those deeds. If the world hadn't changed, he would have become a fine samurai, that he would._

. . .

Three hours later, Kenshin and Yahiko walked out of the police station. It hadn't taken long to identify the yakuza, but the police had been worried about Kenshin's sword. They had wanted to confiscate it, but Kenshin showed them it was a reverse-blade sword and, after a lot of convincing on Kenshin's part, the police allowed him to keep it. After all, Kenshin had used it to defend the boy against the yakuza and a sword worn openly was much better than a concealed one. Besides, what harm could he really do with a sakabato?

Seeing how late it was, Kenshin decided to head back to the inn, Yahiko hot on his heels. Although Kenshin didn't mind the boy's presence, he still needed some time alone to sort through what Kaoru had said. He knew he wouldn't get it if everyone kept insisting on hanging around him all the time.

Kaoru, Megumi and Sano seemed to be waiting for him, as they walked into the dining hall not a moment after he did, sitting with him and Yahiko. _Will these people never leave me alone? The only way I'm going to get some privacy is if I sneak out the window when they're not looking! Actually, that's not a bad idea,_ Kenshin thought, mentally making plans for later.

Kaoru interrupted his thoughts. "So, how was your day, Kenshin?" she asked.

Kenshin looked at her. Although he tried hard, he couldn't quite keep the sarcasm from his voice. "Fine. I almost got a job-- it was the first open position I've found in this town." _Apparently, I'm still a little upset about that,_ Kenshin thought. He hadn't meant to say anything about the lost job.

"Kenshin, when we go back to Tokyo--" Kaoru began.

"I do not wish to discuss this, that I most certainly do not," Kenshin said, interrupting her. He rose from the table, his dinner untouched, and headed for the door.

"Wait, Kenshin! Where are you going?!" Kaoru asked, her voice a little worried.

Kenshin stopped, but did not turn around. There was a pause before he decided to answer. "It's been a long day and I'm tired, Kaoru-dono. I'm going to my room," he said, sharply, leaving the dining hall.

Everyone stared after him, surprised. Megumi turned to Kaoru. "Kaoru, you were with Ken-san most of the day, correct? You did remember the warning I gave you last night and were careful with your words, weren't you?" Megumi asked, already knowing the answer. She wanted Kaoru to understand exactly why Kenshin was distancing himself from them.

"I-- well, uh, I mean--" Kaoru floundered, not sure what to say.

Megumi closed her eyes, shaking her head. Without a word, she went back to her meal.

Deciding to save Kaoru, Sano directed the conversation towards Yahiko. "How long were you with Kenshin today? Didja notice anything unusual about the way he was acting?"

"I was with Kenshin most of the afternoon. He wasn't acting any different towards me," Yahiko said, thinking back on the day.

Kaoru continued her meal in silence. When she was finished, she told everyone she was going for a walk, and left the inn.

. . .

As soon as Kenshin entered his room, he closed the shoji and made his exit via the window. Everyone's ki were still in he dining hall, so they wouldn't realize he had left until they had no chance of finding him. Kenshin wasn't leaving permanently, not just yet, anyway. First, he would consider what they said, but he needed to clear his head, first. The best way he knew to do that was with his kata.

He walked to the outskirts of town, finding the clearing he had used the other morning. Unsheathing his sword, he began his kata, allowing his body to execute the moves while his mind contemplated what the girl had told him. Unnoticed by him, the sun began to sink below the horizon, as the full moon rose to take it's place in the night sky.

. . .

The sun had already set by the time Kaoru left the inn. She walked aimlessly, her thoughts focused elsewhere. _All afternoon? Yahiko said he was with Kenshin all afternoon, and he didn't notice him acting strangely. I was with Kenshin all morning, and he barely said two words to me! And-- and he asked me to leave him alone,_ she thought, tears stinging her eyes. _He asked me to leave, but he didn't mind having Yahiko around._ Not wanting anyone to see her cry, Kaoru headed towards the outskirts of town. Sitting down on a rock near the river, Kaoru unleashed her emotions, silently crying to her heart's content. That was when she heard the sounds of a fight.

Curiosity overcoming her better judgment, she went over to investigate. Peeking out from behind a tree, she saw a group of men gathered around something on the ground.

"You guys went too far. It was supposed to be a warning for their yakuza to stay out of our territory. "

"Oh, it's just one less we gotta deal with. Besides, mosta them are in jail, anyway. They won't be trespassing on our grounds for awhile."

"Do ya know what happened? Genpaku alerted us when he saw them come into our territory, but the police was already picking them up by the time we got there."

"I hear they were all defeated by some scrawny little nobody. I told you they were weak. Thing is, the guy didn't kill any of them, either. The weak defeating the weak."

At this point, the yakuza members started walking away, allowing Kaoru to see what had been a living person a few minutes ago. The body was mutilated beyond recognition; blood covered the area liberally, shining mockingly in the moonlight. It was a ghastly sight to behold, and Kaoru could not stop herself from screaming.

"Who's there?!"

Kaoru turned and raced blindly through the bushes, the sounds of her pursuers urging her on. Her kimono was making it difficult for her to run, allowing the yakuza members to catch up with her easily. One of them reached out and grabbed her arm, yanking her backwards into his arms, keeping her from escaping.

So frightened she couldn't think clearly, Kaoru struggled against him uselessly, unable to free herself. Fearing that she would share the same fate as the man she had seen, she screamed again, hoping someone would hear her. One of the men brought the hilt of his sword down hard on the back of her head. She slumped forward, unconscious.

The man who had been holding Kaoru let her fall to the ground. He looked up as one of the other men approached him. "Boss, this woman saw us. What're we gonna do with her?" he asked.

The boss looked at Kaoru's unconscious body on the ground. He disliked the idea of killing a woman, but he couldn't just let her go. "Bring her with us. I'll decide what to do about her later. Hirokazu, go make sure she was alone. The rest of you, come with me."

. . .

Kenshin's kata was interrupted when he heard a woman's scream echo through the night air. With a start, he realized that it was Kaoru that had screamed. Without a second thought, he raced towards the sound, running across the clearing he had been practicing in.

_**A moonlit clearing, a man kneeling on the ground, clutching his right arm. A flipped sakabato raised high in the air, ready to end the man's life.**_

Kenshin stopped, looking around the clearing. _What was that, just now? Who was that man? Perhaps it is one of the memories I lost. Could they be returning to me?_ He paused, realizing what had been happening. _I... I was about to end his life. Have I broken my vow? Did I... did I kill him?_

Kenshin was jolted out of his thoughts as another scream shattered the silence, only to be abruptly cut off. Kenshin took off running, faster than before. _I can deal with my memories later. Right now, Kaoru needs help!_

Catching the smell of blood, Kenshin quickly found the body. He looked upon the corpse calmly, although inside he was raging. No one deserved to die like that. A breaking twig off to his right caught his attention.

"Ah, so the girl wasn't alone, after all. It doesn't matter, you won't be alive much longer, anyway."

. . .

**To Be Continued**


	15. Mnemonic

Disclaimer: If I owned it, this would be in the manga and anime and I wouldn't have to work at Walmart.

**Chapter 15**

Kenshin turned towards the voice. He could make out the silhouette of a man standing in the shadows between the trees. A sword hung at his side.

"It's too bad you had to be out here tonight," Hirokazu said, drawing his sword. Without warning, he rushed towards the red head.

Almost calmly, Kenshin drew his sword and met the attack head-on. He didn't have time to waste, so he pushed his attacker back, jumping high over his head. "Hiten Mitsurugi Ryu-- Ryu-tsui-sen!"

Upon hearing Kenshin's voice above him, Hirokazu raised his sword in a futile attempt to block Kenshin's attack.

The force of Kenshin's attack broke his opponent's blade, before landing hard on his shoulder. Without a sound, the man hit the ground and did not rise.

Kenshin stood up from where he had landed, looking at his opponent. The broken blade lying on the ground caught his eye.

_**The hilt of the broken sakabato clutched tightly in his hand, the blade stuck in the floor at his feet. In front of him was a boy, smiling, holding a badly cracked sword, almost carelessly, in his right hand.**_

Kenshin blinked, and the image was gone. The man was unconscious on the ground, his broken sword at his side. Kenshin shook his head. _What's wrong with me? I don't have time for this now. Kaoru needs my help!_ he thought, firmly banishing the image from his mind. He could deal with that later. Without a second look at either body on the ground, Kenshin turned and began to retrace his opponent's trail back to his comrades.

. . .

The yakuza, carrying Kaoru, made their way somewhat quietly through the forest. They were headed towards an abandoned house where they could keep Kaoru until they figured out what to do with her.

"Dayu."

The boss looked back upon hearing his name. "What is it, Chojiro?" he asked.

"Hirokazu isn't exactly the most skilled of our members. If the girl was with more than one person, he may have a little difficulty dealing with them."

"Very well. Chojiro, you go make sure Hirokazu isn't having any problems. Sumio and Utamuro will both stand guard here, and wait for Chojiro and Hirokazu. If they don't return in five minutes, Utamuro, you will go and see what's holding them up. Kiminobu and I will go on ahead," he said.

With a quick nod of his head, Chojiro took off running back the way they had come. Five minutes wasn't very long to accomplish his task in, but he couldn't argue with the boss.

. . .

Kenshin, not wanting to risk losing the trail, was forced to go slowly. He knew that time was of the essence, but it would take even more time if he had to go back and find the trail, should he lose it in his haste.

He came upon a clearing where a struggle had taken place, all of the tracks mixing together. Kenshin cursed, mentally, about the amount of time it would take to make sense of them and find the one he had been following. He was distracted by the sound of someone running towards him. Deciding he didn't have time to waste in an ambush, Kenshin stood and waited for him.

Chojiro stopped running when he saw someone standing in the trees a little ways in front of him. He walked up, warily. As he got closer, he realized that this man was not Hirokazu. "I assume you are the one that defeated Hirokazu?" he asked, casually. He was just guessing that Hirokazu had fought this man, but he didn't have time to find out.

"He did not introduce himself, but if he was the man who attacked me, armed with a sword, then yes, I did defeat him," Kenshin said. "Where is Kaoru-dono?" Kenshin asked, calmly.

Chojiro didn't miss the underlying threat in his voice. "She's with the boss, right now-- for entertainment purposes," Chojiro said. He hoped to make this diminutive swordsman angry enough to attack blindly, therefore making his job easier. He hated working with time limits.

Kenshin's face remained expressionless, although his insides had gone cold. He needed to get to Kaoru fast. "Well, I wouldn't like to keep your boss waiting," Kenshin said, unsheathing his sword.

"Nor would I," Chojiro responded, pulling out his weapon. Kenshin glanced at the nun-chucks in his adversary's hands.

_**A woman was crouched before him in an offensive stance, nun-chucks clutched tightly in her hands. "I'm the only person in this world who will be able to defeat you, Himura Kenshin!"**_

Kenshin blinked, bringing his sword up almost too late to deflect Chojiro's attack. Chojiro, sensing his distraction, pressed the attack, not giving his challenger any time to recover. The sound of wood against steel rang through the trees.

The relentless assault was just what Kenshin needed to block out his fragmented memories and concentrate on his opponent. As Chojiro swung at Kenshin's head, the swordsman quickly flipped his blade, slicing the nun-chucks in two. Before Chojiro had time to recover, Kenshin flipped the blade back, bringing it hard across Chojiro's face. He hit the ground, and did not rise.

Trying to stay focused, Kenshin hurried on, now backtracking Chojiro's footsteps and hoping he would reach Kaoru in time.

. . .

Utamuro sighed, standing up. "Still no sign of Hirokazu or Chojiro. I guess that means I get to go take care of the intruder."

"Unless they're just toying with him. You know how those two are," Sumio replied.

"Well, in that case, I'll just have to join in, then, won't I?" he said, walking off into the trees.

. . .

Kenshin was still following Chojiro's trail when a voice interrupted his thoughts.

"So, you must be the one that defeated Hirokazu and Chojiro," Utamuro said, stepping out of the shadows.

Kenshin cursed himself for not noticing the yakuza member's approach. _You're getting careless, Himura,_ he thought, berating himself. He made no reply to Utamuro.

"Well, you're quite a talkative one, aren't you? Your silence suits me fine. Let's get this over with," he said, moving his jacket back to reveal the hilt of a sword. Utamuro grabbed the hilt and pulled the sword from its sheath. It was a kodachi.

_**A tall man with short, black hair partially covering his eyes, wearing a long cream-colored trench coat, stood in the middle of a brightly lit room. He held a kodachi firmly in his right hand; ready to counter any and all attacks. "By defeating you, the title of the Strongest will become the Oniwabanshu's. Come!"**_

Pain brought Kenshin's mind back to the present. He was kneeling on the ground, his left hand clutching a gash in his stomach. Utamuro had attacked and Kenshin would be dead right now were it not for his quick reflexes. The wound, though deep, hadn't hit any of his organs. Kenshin stood, glaring at the man that had dared to injure him.

"I don't see how someone as unskilled and pathetic as you could have defeated Hirokazu and Chojiro. You're not even worth my time, but orders are orders. If you stay still for me, I promise your death will be quick," Utamuro said, mockingly.

Continuing his silence, Kenshin waited for the next attack, sticking his sword into the ground. Utamuro, taking that as a sign of Kenshin's defeat, rushed towards the red head. Kenshin narrowed his eyes. "Hiten Mitsurugi Ryu-- Do-ryu-sen!" he cried, ripping his sword out of the ground, and watching the path of the ki as it raced towards Utamuro, tearing up the ground.

Totally unprepared, Utamuro was caught in the blast and flung into the air. Disoriented by the debris, he didn't know which way was down. Consequently, he landed badly on his side, hitting his head against a rock. He was out cold.

Not even bothering to find the trail, Kenshin headed off in the direction Utamuro had come from.

. . .

Sumio was bored. He was stuck waiting while the other three guys got to have all the fun. So, he was occupying his time by throwing rocks at the trees in front of him. A cold voice brought him to his feet, instantly.

"Are you going to stand in my way as well?" Kenshin asked, stopping about twenty feet away. If another flashback was triggered, Kenshin wanted to be out of the man's range until he could react.

At Kenshin's words, Sumio grabbed a bomb out of his pocket, lighting the fuse and throwing it at Kenshin. Kenshin sank into the stance for battoujutsu, cutting the burning wick off the bomb when it came in range. It landed on the ground behind him, rolling a few feet before coming to a stop.

_**Two bombs, sailing through the air. Moving quickly, their wicks were cut before either of them could explode. Two men were standing in front of him. The first stared, eyes wide in shock. The second walked forward, standing in front of the one who had thrown the bombs. Their eyes met.**_

_Sanosuke?!_ Kenshin thought, desperately confused. There was an explosion, and Kenshin found himself flying through the air, having been caught in the blast. He was slammed against the unyielding trunk of a tree, his head hitting hard enough to cause his vision to explode with dots of light. Instantly, sharp pain erupted, feeling like someone had driven a fistful of red-hot needles into his back. Grabbing a branch in an effort to stay on his feet, Kenshin pulled himself off of the tree's trunk. He struggled to draw a breath into his lungs, the force of the impact having knocked the air out of him. As the pain subsided, he could feel hot blood trickling down his back. He looked over his shoulder and saw the rough stump of a broken branch. _So that's what I hit,_ he thought, idly noticing his broken hair tie hanging on one of the sharp pieces of wood protruding from the tree.

A spike of ki drew Kenshin's attention back to the battle. Viciously shoving the distractions aside, Kenshin focused his senses on his adversary. _Where is he?!_ he thought, desperately searching for any sign of his opponent's ki. Seeing a bomb coming towards him, Kenshin quickly grabbed it and threw it back in a high arc. The bomb landed in the tree above Sumio, exploding and trapping the cursing man underneath a few large branches. Calmly walking over to the trapped man, Kenshin brought his hilt down hard on Sumio's head, knocking him out. Kenshin didn't even bother to see if he was seriously injured before moving on.

. . .

Dayu was starting to become annoyed, wondering what was keeping everyone. Then, he heard an explosion. A second one followed not too long after the first, and then all was silent. _Hm, so either Hirokazu, Chojiro and Utamuro have all been defeated, or someone snuck past them and was caught by Sumio. Ah, well, we'll find out soon enough,_ Dayu thought, going back inside the abandoned house.

Kiminobu walked out of one of the back rooms. "I put the girl in one of the back rooms. She's still unconscious," he said.

"Good. I want you to go outside and stand watch. Someone fought Sumio. If they come here, see to it that they are taken care of. I'm going to go make sure the girl doesn't escape."

Kiminobu nodded, taking a lantern and standing watch outside. Dayu went into the room where Kaoru was and began to tie her up.

. . .

Since all the trails had been going in the same general direction, Kenshin continued walking that way, hoping it led to where Kaoru was. He knew he couldn't survive too many more fights at the rate he was going. His persistence was finally rewarded when a house came into view. Another man was standing outside, watching the forest.

Kenshin walked out into the open. "Where's Kaoru-dono?" he asked, bluntly. He didn't have time for pleasantries.

Kiminobu looked Kenshin up and down with a critical eye. From the way he walked, he was obviously in pain, and it appeared that he could barely stand up. "I am hitokiri Kiminobu, the best swordsman in Iakayama. You're a pathetic specimen as a man, and an even worse example as a swordsman," he said, looking at the sword in Kenshin's obi. "Ending your pathetic life will be my pleasure," he said, setting his lamp down next to the door and sinking into the stance for battoujutsu.

_**"Ending your life will be my last duty as your master." **_

_** Tossing his white mantle aside, Hiko Sejiro XIII slowly, but purposefully, advanced towards Kenshin. **_

__**I can't die yet--people need my help! But, how can I defeat his Ku-zu-ryu-sen?!_ Kenshin thought, desperately. _**

**_ Yelling out a challenge, Hiko charged towards his deshi, sword drawn. _**

**I have to live!_ Kenshin, sinking into the stance for battoujutsu, met his master halfway, screaming out a challenge of his own. Their blades flashed, clashing together before they slid to a halt on opposite sides of the clearing. Kenshin's wounds screamed in protest and he fell to his knees, one hand clutching his stomach, the other on his back. His sword lay at his side. _**

**_ Kenshin turned his head in time to see his shishou fall to the ground, lying in a pool of water. The white mantle he had so proudly worn was lying in the dirt, where he had carelessly tossed it. Hiko's hair had come loose from it's binding and was partially covering his face. His sword was lying a few inches from his hand, his grip no longer containing the strength to hold it. His entire body was limp and Kenshin could see where his sword had struck his master across the chest. Kenshin could do no more than just stare in shocked silence. Suddenly, Kenshin screamed, his voice raw with emotion. _**

**_ "MAAASTEERRRRRRRRRRRRR!!"_**

. . .

Dayu had just finished tying up Kaoru when he heard two swords clash together outside. He quickly grabbed his sword, making his way outside. He had reached the main room when an anguish-filled scream rent the air. The words were lost in the intensity of emotions, but it caused Dayu to pause, momentarily. Scowling at his hesitation, Dayu flung open the door.

Kiminobu was sprawled on the ground across the clearing, his sword lying in pieces two feet away. He did not move.

A little closer to the house, a pitiful excuse for a man was kneeling, sword at his side, with tears streaming down his cheeks. He seemed to be terribly upset about something.

. . .

Kaoru woke up, hearing a terrible scream echo through the night. She silently cursed whoever it was, as they were making her head hurt more than it already did. She tried to raise a hand to her head, only to find they were both securely tied behind her back. In fact, she was so tied up that she couldn't so much as crawl! Rolling over to the shoji in a very undignified manner, she tried to push it open, but to no avail. She stopped when she heard someone talking, trying to hear what was being said.

. . .

"I don't know who you are, or how you managed to defeat all of my boys," Dayu said, walking out of the house and standing across from Kenshin. "You are more than you appear to be. I will defeat you. No holding back, even if you are injured," Dayu said, preparing for a charging attack.

Kenshin's head snapped up, his right hand immediately grabbing his sword as he struggled to rise. He looked at his opponent.

_**"I'll attack with the true Gatoutsu--no more holding back!" Saito yelled, charging towards him.**_

Kenshin's mind was on overload and, not being able to handle any more, almost all conscious thought shut down. He had one thought running through his mind: survive. A man with hostile ki was running towards him with a sword. This was an enemy. In order to survive, the enemy must die. Kenshin opened his eyes, looking at his enemy.

Dayu stopped, mid charge, staring at the man before him. The soft breeze swept across the clearing, playing with the man's clothes. The moonlight reflected off of the man's red hair as it danced behind him in the breeze, part of it falling over his shoulder. His sword was held out in front of him, ready to attack or counter his opponent. His face was clear of any emotion. But his eyes were what caused Dayu's hesitation, what sent a shiver of fear down his back. His cold, amber eyes.

He began to walk forward with slow, measured steps. Unconsciously, Dayu took a step back before catching himself. _Why should I be afraid of this scrawny, little guy just because he has creepy yellow eyes, watching you like a cat ready to pounce on its unsuspecting prey... Enough! I have the advantage in size and he's injured. He will not walk away from this fight!_ Dayu thought. Gathering his courage, he raced towards Kenshin, sword raised, ready to attack.

With deliberate movements, Kenshin brought his sword up in a counter-attack, their blades crossing. With strength that belied his size, Kenshin pushed the larger man back, causing him to fall against the door, knocking over Kiminobu's lantern. Unnoticed by the two men, a small flame caught on the doorframe, and began spreading rapidly throughout the house.

Determination showing in his eyes, Dayu got up and charged Kenshin again. Calmly, Kenshin took position, attacking with multiple strikes as soon as Dayu came into range. Caught off guard by Kenshin's speed, Dayu was thrown back by the attack, landing on the ground.

"Hiten Mitsurugi Ryu, Ryu-son-sen," Kenshin said, calmly naming his attack. His eyes narrowed slightly in confusion as Dayu groaned, obviously still alive. _He should be dead. I do not understand,_ Kenshin thought, his mind slowly starting back up now that it had had a little time to recover. He looked down at his sword for an explanation. Upon seeing the reversed blade, his mind became fully alert, horrified at what he had almost done. His violet eyes looked back at his opponent, making sure he was still alive.

. . .

Kaoru coughed as more smoke began filling her room. It was getting harder to breathe, and she feared she would pass out soon from lack of oxygen.

Sluggishly, her mind registered that the house was probably on fire, and she rolled to the middle of the room, away from the walls. She lay there, struggling to breathe for a few more minutes. Suddenly, two of the walls were consumed in flames that were spreading quickly. Drawing one last breath, Kaoru screamed, hoping someone would hear her, before passing out.

. . .

Kenshin turned when he heard the scream. "Kaoru-dono!" _How could I have forgotten about her?! She's the reason I'm here!_ Kenshin's eyes widened at the sight before him. The house was almost entirely engulfed in flames.

Dayu laughed. "You beat everyone, but you're still too late to save the girl. She's inside, if you still want to try," he said, mockingly.

Kenshin knew he wouldn't be able to get in through the door, so he decided to make his own doorway. Flipping his sword, he cut a large 'x' on the wall. The building was old and it crumbled easily. Kenshin hurried inside, knowing he didn't have much time. Quickly going to the shoji, he flung it open. The hallway was engulfed in flames.

_**Explosions and flames erupted all around him, yet he pushed on, knowing this was his only chance to get out of here. He looked up, thankful that Saito was waiting for him. He heard a beam break somewhere above him and to the left. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw it swing down, heading towards him. He didn't have the strength to dodge in time, and he took the full force of the impact--**_

_No! I don't have time to deal with this now!_ Kenshin thought, ruthlessly shoving the confusing images from his mind. He wasn't able to get across the hallway, so he took a different approach. Sticking his sword into the floorboards, he executed a weak Do-ryu-sen, only strong enough to travel a few feet. It destroyed the burning floorboards, and created a hole in the wall across from him. He could see someone lying on the floor inside.

Kenshin jumped the gap he had created, making his way over to the person. It was Kaoru. Quickly cutting the ropes holding her, Kenshin picked her up, doing his best to ignore the protests in his back and stomach. Without a second thought, he turned and exited the building.

Once outside, Kenshin calculated the way he had gone from the clearing he had been practicing in, and decided which direction the town would be. He took off running, not wanting to tarry for several reasons. One, Kaoru was hurt and Megumi needed to look at her. Two, the explosions and burning building were likely to attract police attention, and Kenshin didn't have time to waste speaking with them.

. . .

Kenshin entered the inn, quickly making his way to Megumi's room. He was halfway up the stairs when Sano came around the corner. Kenshin stopped, clutching Kaoru to him protectively, as he leveled a violet-eyed Battousai-like glare at the gangster. After the partial flashbacks, he didn't trust this man one bit.

Sano's eyes widened when he saw Kaoru. "What happened, Kenshin?!" Sano asked, worriedly, starting forward. He stopped short when he met Kenshin's eyes.

Kenshin only sensed worry and a desire to help, but he still didn't want the street fighter around. "Sanosuke, go to the police station, and tell them that there has been some yakuza activity outside of town. They need to pick up a few men," Kenshin said. Having heard the police whistles when he neared town, Kenshin knew they had likely already found the men, but it would get Sano away for awhile, and that was the real objective.

Nodding his head in acknowledgment, Sano still couldn't bring himself to move nearer to Kenshin while the shorter man was still glaring, even if it was directed at the people who had done this to Kaoru and not him. After Kenshin was up the stairs, Sano quickly made his way down them and headed to the police station.

Kenshin had to fight the urge to smile at Sano's reaction. _So, he knows better than to cross me. It seems I taught him his lesson well. Would that all my enemies were like that. At least, he won't be here to interfere._ Upon reaching Megumi's room, Kenshin raised his voice, hoping she was in. He would have knocked, but his hands were already occupied. "Megumi-dono! Megumi-dono, please, are you in there?!"

The shoji opened revealing Megumi. "What is it Ken-- Kaoru! Quickly, bring her inside!" Megumi said, moving so Kenshin could walk into the room. Megumi quickly laid out a futon, motioning Kenshin to put Kaoru on it. He did so, biting his lip to keep from making any noise at the pain it caused him. Megumi did not need to know he was injured. After he laid Kaoru down, he folded his arms in front of him, using the sleeves to hide the wound on his stomach. He stood, leaving the room.

"Ken-san! Where are you going?" Megumi asked. She hoped seeing Kaoru in a vulnerable state might trigger some of his memories.

Kenshin stopped at the door, not turning around. His hair hung loosely down to his waist, covering his ripped gi and re-injured back. Some of the blood had soaked into his hair, but the color hid it well. "Someone needs to inform the police, Megumi-dono, that they do," he said, walking out and closing the shoji behind him.

He quickly made his way to the kitchen, asking for a bucket of water, before going to his room. He cleaned and bandaged his wounds, distractedly. In his mind, he was replaying several of the flashbacks he had experienced, dread at knowing the truth gnawing at his stomach. _I cannot run from my past. I discovered that long ago. I need to know what happened._ Resolutely, Kenshin gathered his belongings and made his way down to the front desk. Asking for some parchment and a brush with ink, Kenshin wrote a message, leaving it with the innkeeper, before walking out into the night.

. . .

**To Be Continued**


	16. Kyoto

Disclaimer: If I owned it, this would be in the manga and anime and I wouldn't have to work at Walmart.

**Chapter 16**

After examining Kaoru, Megumi concluded that the younger woman just needed time to rest and recover. However, Megumi had noticed quite a bit of blood on Kaoru's kimono, although there were no open wounds on her body. Determining that it was not Kaoru's blood, Megumi went in search of Kenshin.

She searched the inn, but could not find him. She headed back to her room, thinking he was probably still at the police station, when she ran into Sano.

"Megumi! Is Kaoru all right?!" he asked, looking at her anxiously.

"Yes, all she needs is some rest."

"That's good," Sano replied, his face relaxing.

Megumi looked at him, curiously. "Sano, how did you find out about Kaoru being injured?" she inquired.

"I saw Kenshin carrying her up to your room. I would've stayed, but he sent me to go inform the police," Sano explained.

Megumi paused. "He sent you to go inform the police?" she asked, making sure she had heard correctly.

"Yeah, why?"

Megumi ignored his question. "Sano, have you seen Ken-san since?" she asked, turning to face him.

"No, I just got back. Why? What's up?" Sano asked, a little confused.

Ignoring Sanosuke's question, Megumi hurried back to Kenshin's room. She had knocked on the shoji earlier, but didn't let herself in. Now, she flung open the door, quickly scanning the room. Everything was properly folded and neatly arranged, but Kenshin's things were gone. Megumi slumped against the doorway, as Sano came up behind her.

"You alright, kitsune? What's wrong?" Sano asked, a little worried.

"Ken-san is gone, Sano. He left, and I don't think he's coming back."

. . .

Kenshin walked all night, trying to keep up a quick pace. Several of the night's events played out in his mind continuously, especially a certain flashback of his master, lying on the ground, not moving. _Shishou. I have to find out if Shishou is still alive. I haven't seen him in fourteen years. I can't imagine why I would have sought him out. And I certainly cannot imagine anything happening that would make him want to kill me!_ Kenshin thought, desperately. His mind wandered to other flashbacks, such as the man whose right elbow had been crushed. _I remember holding the sword above him. I **wanted** to kill him! It was imperative that he die. Did I kill him? Have I broken my vow? I now know I am capable of losing control,_ Kenshin thought, remembering having almost killed Dayu earlier that evening. _But, did I kill him?_

Such were the thoughts occupying his mind as he hurried down the road. The full moon was out, lighting his path, and he was oblivious to the discomforts of his injuries. He knew one thing for certain: he had to reach Kyoto, and find his master.

. . .

Kaoru woke with a slight headache. She was disoriented, and a little surprised to find herself in her room at the inn. _Why am I surprised that I'm here? Where else would I be...?_ she thought. Memories of last night's events came flooding back, and she sat up with a gasp.

Megumi, who had gotten up earlier, turned around at the noise. "Oh, so you're awake, Kaoru. Do you remember what happened last night?" Megumi asked. She was very curious as to how Kaoru had been knocked out, gotten her kimono slightly scorched and how Kenshin had found her, if he went to bed early.

Kaoru looked at Megumi. "Well, I went for a walk last night. I didn't really pay attention to where I was going, and I ended up wandering away from the town. I stumbled upon some men who were gathered around another man on the ground." She shivered, putting her arms around herself and closing her eyes as if she could block out the memory. "They-they had beaten him to death. It was horrible!" she said, her voice barely above a whisper.

Megumi, not used to seeing Kaoru like this, was at a loss for what to do. She finally settled on putting her arm around Kaoru's shoulders, offering her silent support.

Kaoru seemed to relax a little. Taking a deep breath, she continued. "They saw me. I-I tried to run, but they caught me. I guess they must have knocked me out, because the next thing I remember was waking up in a room, somewhere. I was tied up so I couldn't move. I heard voices outside, but I couldn't hear what they were saying. Then, smoke started to fill the room," she said, her breathing starting to quicken. "I-it became hard to breathe. I couldn't hear the voices anymore, but there was another sound. It was a loud roaring, drowning everything else out. And then, the walls were burning! There was no way out! I was trapped! I thought I was going to die! I-" she choked, crying into Megumi's arms.

The doctor sat there, her eyes wide as she held Kaoru. _Apparently, more happened last night than I thought! I'm glad I asked Kaoru to tell me what happened-- she would have gone into post-traumatic shock, otherwise. She had a close call last night. But, she didn't say anything about Kenshin. I'm sure he was the one who rescued her. Oh, I worry how the news of his leaving will affect her, especially after this,_ Megumi thought, rocking Kaoru back and forth, soothingly, as she rubbed her back. Eventually, Kaoru's crying ceased, and she sat there, shaking in the older woman's arms.

. . .

Kenshin arrived in Ontako about mid morning. He was tired, but he forced himself to go on. He noticed that he was on the receiving end of quite a few stares, more so than he usually got. Wondering why, he looked down at himself. _Oh, a slashed and bloodstained gi. No wonder everyone's staring,_ he thought, making his way to the marketplace. He didn't want to stop, but he had to buy food, anyway.

Upon finding a clothing store, Kenshin grabbed the first gi he could find that looked to be about his size. It was dark blue in color. He paid for the garment, and quickly changed out of the bloodstained gi. _That was a brand new gi, too,_ he thought, sullenly, placing the ruined gi in his bag. _I suppose it's my own fault for getting distracted, but still..._

He quickly found a grocery stand, and purchased some food, as well as asking for directions to Tsurugo. After obtaining both, he headed off again, quickly leaving the town behind him.

After another hour or two of walking, Kenshin was starting to have some difficulties. He hadn't slept at all the night before, and his exhaustion was coming down on him with a vengeance. Finally giving into his body's need for rest, Kenshin walked a little ways away from the road. Settling down against a tree, his loose hair falling forward like a curtain to block out the sun's light, he quickly fell asleep.

. . .

After Kaoru had calmed down and had a bath, she joined Megumi, Sano and Yahiko in the dining hall for breakfast. Looking around, she didn't see Kenshin anywhere. She opened her mouth to speak, but a voice from behind interrupted her.

"Excuse me, but are you Kamiya Kaoru?"

Turning around, she saw one of the inn's staff members. "Yes, that's me," she replied, a little uncertainly.

The man pulled out a folded piece of parchment, handing it to her. "This was left for you last night. The young man left instructions for it to be given to you when you woke up. Please enjoy your breakfast," he said, bowing, and leaving the table.

Kaoru stared after him, a little confused. _A young man? ...Kenshin!_ With slightly trembling fingers, she unfolded the letter. Although hastily written, the flowing script was easily identifiable. "Kenshin..." she whispered. Everyone else leaned closer, curious as to what the note said. Kaoru read it silently to herself.

_"Kaoru-dono,_

_By the time you read this, I will be gone. Please forgive me for leaving you in such a state, but it was necessary. I believe my memories may be starting to resurface, and I need some time alone to sort through them. Please do not come looking for me. When I have finished organizing my memories, I'll know where to find you. If what you said is true, please wait for me._

_-Himura Kenshin"_

As Kaoru re-read the message, a smile spread over her face. Kenshin had left, yes, but he was regaining his memories. He just needed some time to himself. Looking up, she caught everyone looking at her, waiting for an explanation. "Hurry up and eat your breakfast. We're going back to Tokyo!" she said, exuberantly.

Before anyone could say a word, she was on her way back to her room to pack all her things. She read the note again, before sliding it into the folds of her obi. There was no telling how long before Kenshin came back to Tokyo, and she wanted to make sure she was there waiting for him. _He'll come back._ Smiling, she rested her hand on her obi, above the note. It was Kenshin's promise to her. _No matter how long it takes,_ she thought, _I'll wait for you._

. . .

_**Kenshin found himself standing in a clearing, red shadows from the surrounding trees sliding across the ground. Overhead, a bloody moon hung in the sky. A strong wind swept around him, shrill with the sound of death cries. In front of him stood a tall, gaunt man wearing a wide-brimmed black hat. **_**Battousai!_ echoed across the clearing._ **

**_The world seemed to tilt, the smell of blood strong in Kenshin's nostrils. Low and deadly, Kenshin's voice hissed across the clearing. "Now that I have said that I will kill you, your death tonight has been assured, Jineh." His prey suddenly disappeared and Kenshin spun, dropping into a battoujutsu stance. "Come. I'll let you sample a little taste of why they call me the Battousai." Black clouds covered the moon, leaving everything in darkness, the only noise that of Jineh's mad laughter. _BATTOUSAI!**

**_The clouds slipped away, revealing Jineh, kneeling with his head bent. Kenshin deliberately flipped the blade of his sakabato and slowly raised it over his head. "Your life as a swordsman is now over and so is your life as a human being!"_**

**_The wind, reeking with the stench of blood, whipped his red hair into his eyes, momentarily blinding him as his sword flashed downwards. "Die!" Shaking his head to clear his vision, he beheld Jineh lying, sprawled on his back; dark stains were spreading out in all directions, and his eyes were rolled back. A sword was standing upright in the center of his chest. Kenshin looked down at his sword, only to find it missing._**

**_Jineh's gravelly voice echoed up to him. _"A manslayer is a manslayer until the day he dies, he can never be anything else. I'll be watching you from the edge of Hell."**

Kenshin awoke with a start, Jineh's last words still ringing in his ears. His breathing was fast and shallow, his eyes wide as he stared unseeingly before him. In his mind, he went over the dream once again.

_It seemed so real! I think it was more than just a mere dream. That was part of my memories. But, does that mean -- have I broken my vow?!_ Kenshin thought, desperately. He went back over the dream in his mind, searching for any clues that would help him answer that question. He found nothing.

_It may have been just a dream, and I did not kill him. However, I remember holding my sword, as I stood over him, ready to end his life. If there was no one to stop me, then-- _ Kenshin shook his head, refusing to finish that thought. _Besides, he was kneeling before me. Had my attack landed, he would have been cleaved in two. That sword was sticking out of his chest, suggesting a thrust. Following this logic, it is reasonable to assume I didn't kill him._ Kenshin ignored the part of his mind that showed him how Jineh could have moved to alter Kenshin's killing stroke from the one in his memory to the one in his dream.

Deciding that he had slept long enough, Kenshin stood up, leaning against the tree for support at the unexpected pain caused by his wounds. _It helps if you remember you're injured, Himura. It's a lot less painful than waiting for your body to inform you,_ he thought, clenching his teeth against the pain. The wound on his back was sore from sleeping against the rough bark of the tree, and moving wasn't helping ease the pain.

He made his way back out to the road, continuing his trek towards Kyoto. It was a warm day, with a light breeze, playfully blowing some of Kenshin's hair across his face. Brushing the stray locks behind his ear, he looked towards the sky. _By the position of the sun, I'd say I've slept about five hours. I should be able to walk well into the night and, if I can keep up this pace, I should reach Tsurugo by tomorrow night._

As he walked, Kenshin pulled a rice ball from his bag, absently munching on it. He was a little hungry, not having eaten since breakfast the day before.

Unbidden, his thoughts wandered back to the group he had shared his last meal with. _They are certainly strange. I really don't know what to think of them. Everything they said -- I couldn't sense that they were lying. But, what of the gangster? He has fought me in the past, and I'm not entirely convinced that he hit my back as hard as he did just because he was overjoyed to see me alive, especially since he knew about my wounds. How many people would walk up to a friend and slam their hand into that friend's wounds as a form of greeting? Then again, these are hardly normal people that I'm dealing with. Still, perhaps I shouldn't have left the boy and the women with the street fighter. He's dangerous._ Kenshin shook his head. _They were traveling together before I met them in Iakayama. They obviously trust him. Given the boy's reaction after I saved him that night, I would say they rely on Sanosuke, to a certain extent. No, whatever quarrel there is between us does not extend to the rest of the group. They are not in any danger from him, _ Kenshin thought, thinking back on Sanosuke's reaction when he had brought Kaoru back last night. Sano had been worried and had only wanted to help. There had been a certain amount of anger, but it was overridden by his other feelings. Kenshin, while he still didn't trust the street fighter, felt sure that Sanosuke would do everything in his power to keep Kaoru, Megumi, and Yahiko from harm. The thought was not only comforting, but also somewhat familiar.

Kenshin took a deep breath, trying to clear his head. He was still tired, and these thoughts were too confusing to try to figure out right now. Noticing his speed had dropped during his musings, he picked up the pace, trying to divert his mind toward other topics.

. . .

Kenshin arrived in Tsurugo a little after sunset the next night, but continued walking. He hadn't eaten much of the food he'd purchased in Ontako, and he estimated he should have enough to reach Kyoto. After asking for directions to the road leading to Kyoto, Kenshin continued onward, the stars shining brightly in the night sky.

He walked for another two hours, trying to sense the ki of any bandits that might be lying in wait for unsuspecting travelers. He finally stopped, his body aching from the demands he'd made of it the past three days. Finding a place a little ways off the road, Kenshin sat down on the ground, and went to sleep.

. . .

_**Battousai stood in the midnight shadows before the burning building. He looked around and realized that he was in Kyoto, during the Bakumatsu. He was dressed in his Ishin Shishi uniform, gray hakama and midnight blue gi. His red hair was in its customary high ponytail, swinging gently in the soft breeze. His left hand moved to rest on his katana. Soon. His target would arrive soon. Amber eyes glowed in the darkness.**_

_**There! A man appeared in the lurid glare of the fire. Eyes narrowed in concentration, Battousai silently moved in closer, watching his victim closely. Recognizing the target as Dayu, the man who had kidnapped Kaoru, he prepared to attack. Running at inhuman speed, Battousai closed the distance in an instant. Surprisingly, Dayu spun around to face him, raising his sword to attack. Almost casually, Battousai met his blade with a counter attack, pushing him back with the strength that always surprised his opponents, given his size. He waited, relaxed, until Dayu moved within range and then attacked mercilessly, striking him multiple times, his sword moving so swiftly it was nearly invisible. Dayu crumpled, bleeding from numerous slashes. "Hiten Mitsurugi Ryu, Ryu-son-sen," Battousai said, calmly, turning to walk away.**_

_**The scrape of a sword against stone alerted Battousai before the attacker could strike. Jumping to the side, he twisted his body in mid-air to face his enemy. Walking toward him was Dayu, sword held in attack position. Dayu was bleeding profusely from all of his wounds, blood running in rivulets down his body. **_**He should be dead!_ Battousai thought, incredulously. _Well, if he isn't now, he soon will be!_ He slipped into battoujutsu stance, his right hand hovering over the hilt of his katana. When Dayu was within three strides, Battousai whipped his sword out of its sheath in a blinding slash, slicing across Dayu's abdomen, nearly disemboweling him. Dayu fell to the ground, limply. Flicking the blood off his katana with a practiced motion of his wrist, Battousai sheathed his katana and turned to leave._**

_**An odd sound behind him made Battousai whirl, drawing his sword at the same time. He stopped at the sight of Dayu slowly standing up, assuming a formless stance, his sword held in front of his body. **_**Impossible! No man can fight with wounds like that!_ Battousai thought, confusion marring his features. Abruptly, Dayu ran forward, attempting a forward thrust. At the last moment, Battousai leaned aside, then spun to his right, raising his katana to block his opponent's blade. Dropping into a crouch to avoid the side sweep, Battousai continued the spin into a full circle, coming up to strike the back of Dayu's neck with full force, beheading him. Dayu collapsed in a pool of blood. Taking a deep breath, he looked down at the body. _You got what you deserved for what you did to Kaoru,_ he thought, coldly. Walking away, he took a cloth out of the sleeve of his gi and wiped his blade clean, sheathing it with a metallic click._**

**_A spike of hostile ki warned Battousai of the impending assault. Smoothly drawing his katana, he turned to challenge his opponent. Wide-eyed, Battousai tried to shake off the shock that held him pinned in place. _NO! This is NOT happening!_ Dayu's headless corpse was pushing itself upright, reaching for the sword at his feet. _You're DEAD! I killed you!_ Inexorably, the ghoulish figure advanced on the Battousai, who was standing there frozen. Dayu's sword swung back and then swiftly swept forward, aiming unerringly for the Battousai's neck. Desperately, he tried to move as the blade flashed towards him, but he was not quick enough. He felt the cold steel of the blade bite into the soft flesh of his neck-- _**

Kenshin's eyes snapped open, his hand clutching his neck, protectively. He sat there for a few minutes, his eyes darting around, searching for something that was not there. Realizing where he was, he relaxed slightly, gasping for air and trying to slow the rapid beat of his heart. _It was just a dream... It was just a dream..._ Kenshin repeated in his mind, attempting to even out his ragged breaths and quell the unreasonable fear invoked by the nightmare. He kept one hand at his throat, as if to assure himself there was no wound present.

It was still dark, but Kenshin knew he would not be able to sleep anymore this night. As soon as he had regained enough control of his faculties to do so, Kenshin rose and continued walking.

It was a cool night, causing Kenshin to pull his gi more tightly around himself. The forest was eerily silent, Kenshin's zori scraping against the dirt the only sound to be heard. The last vestiges of the nightmare still clinging to his consciousness, the sound seemed to echo loudly in Kenshin's ears. Occasionally, a creature of the night would make a small noise, causing Kenshin to start, reaching for his sword. Upon realizing his mistake, Kenshin would berate himself for his foolishness, while desperately wishing the morning would come soon.

. . .

The night disappeared into the day, but it seemed to take Kenshin's strength with it. He found he had to rest much more frequently than was usual for him, but he assumed it was because he had been getting so little sleep, recently. He didn't stop for meals; but, in all honesty, he didn't have much of an appetite, anyway. Somewhere in the back of his mind he recognized this as a bad sign, but he ignored it, focusing only on reaching Kyoto.

Although the day was warm, Kenshin was having trouble shaking off the night's chill. He walked until beads of sweat ran down his neck, causing his hair to cling to him, but he couldn't seem to get warm. A pervasive chill clung to his body, not enough to cause any serious discomfort, but enough to be unpleasantly annoying.

The wounds on his stomach and back were sore, and hurt when he accidentally brushed against them, or used any of the muscles near them. However, this pain was ignored, as was everything else, and Kenshin continued walking.

He walked all day, continuing well into the night. He judged the time to be around three in the morning before he all but collapsed on the ground, exhausted. His body ached, and the night was cold; but, despite these obstacles, Kenshin was asleep in minutes.

. . .

_**Kenshin stood in darkness so black it felt solid. Spinning, he tried to find some inkling of light. **_**Where am I? **

_**The deep voice of Hiko Seijiro XIII resounded, coming from all directions. "I suppose this is the point where you finally reached your limits as a man, Kenshin. And half a man cannot even hope to defeat the manslayer within his heart."**_

_**"Master?" Kenshin looked around apprehensively for his shishou.**_

_**There was a flash of white, a crimson-lined cape floating to the ground. Then the darkness resumed.**_

_**"As you are now, you will be in agony the rest of your life. Tortured, consumed by loneliness, and you'll kill again," Hiko's voice intoned, ominously.**_

**I will kill. . . again?!_ Kenshin thought, anxiously._ I have killed? Who?_ "Master? Who did I kill? Master!"_**

_**He heard the splashing sound of deliberate footsteps walking toward him. Kenshin strained to see who was coming. Suddenly his shishou appeared, approaching steadily through a pool of water, his face set in grim lines. The vision disappeared, replaced by the ever present black.**_

_**"If that is the way it is to be, ending your life will be my very last duty as your master. Are you prepared, Kenshin?"**_

**Ending my life?!_ Kenshin could not believe what he had heard. "Shishou? You want to kill me?"_**

_**The dark was replaced by a muddy field. Hiko walked steadily towards Kenshin, his sword held loosely in his right hand. Oddly, there was no sound, making the scene seem surreal. **_**Am I afraid of Hiko Seijiro and the promise of death that he represents? I must not fear! _Hiko's mouth opened in a silent battle cry, as he charged forward, katana held in ready position._ I. . . have to. . . stay. . . alive!_ Tears slipping down his face, Kenshin found himself running through the water towards his master, right hand poised over his sword._**

_**Kenshin could feel himself scream soundlessly as he stepped into a battoujutsu with speed beyond anything he had done before, slashing out at Hiko before he could begin his attack. Everything slowed down to a crawl. After completing the pass, he froze in place, his sword finishing the follow-through. Looking over his shoulder, horrified, Kenshin could see his master slowly, oh, so slowly, fall into the water, rolling onto his back. His long black hair had come loose from its binding, floating in the disturbed water. Hiko's katana lay inches away from his limp hand. A bloody diagonal gash crossed his chest from his left shoulder to nearly reach his right hip, the blood seeping into the water, and turning it red. His master's head was turned to the side, eyes closed, his pale face partially covered by his hair.**_

_**The darkness fell once again and Kenshin screamed. "MAAASTEERRRRRRRRR!!"**_

Kenshin bolted upright, almost immediately falling back, crying out as pain lanced through his stomach. He lay there, shaking, tears sliding down his cheeks. His breathing was fast and a little shaky. _What if that wasn't a dream at all? What if -- what if that was one of my memories? Then, that means Shishou-- _ Kenshin stopped that train of thought, unable to finish it. _I must be close to Kyoto by now. I have to keep going!_

Unable to sit up, he rolled off of his back, propping himself up on his elbows. He carefully raised himself to his hands and knees, before pushing himself to his feet. His back screamed in protest, causing Kenshin to lean against a tree to keep himself from falling. It wasn't until he made it back out to the road that he realized it was raining, and he was thoroughly soaked. Not giving a second thought to his discomforts, he walked on, determined to make it to Kyoto as soon as possible. The images from his dream were still fresh in his mind, and he was desperate to prove them wrong.

. . .

It stopped raining shortly after Kenshin began walking, although it remained overcast. About three hours later, Kenshin began to pick up his pace as the scenery became more familiar. Before long, he was on the mountain trail that led up to the house where he had trained under Hiko. _Please let him still live there. I have no idea how to find him if he has left,_ Kenshin thought, a little worried, as he climbed up the mountain.

After a half hour of walking up the mountain trail, Kenshin noticed smoke coming from somewhere ahead of him _That's coming from the direction of Shishou's house!_ he thought, excitedly. Kenshin hurried on, adrenaline giving him strength as his body's resources were exhausted.

Finally, Kenshin was standing at the end of the trail. There was a hut across the clearing, with a potter's kiln next to it. Doubt began to gnaw at Kenshin's stomach. _A potter's kiln? Perhaps Shishou isn't here, after all..._ Firmly casting these thoughts aside, Kenshin resolutely walked across the clearing. _There's only one way to find out,_ he thought, raising his hand to knock on the door.

. . .

Hiko sat inside his house, putting some of his pottery on the shelf, when a spike of ki caused him to pause. Examining it more closely, he recognized it. _Kenshin! But, that's impossible!_ The ki faded quickly, leading Hiko to believe he had imagined it. Dismissing it as an after-effect of drinking too much sake the previous night, he continued replacing the dishes. A few minutes later, he felt another spike of ki, much closer this time. His eyes narrowed in confusion as he recognized it, once again, as Kenshin's. _It can't be, he's dead!_

A knock on his door interrupted his thoughts. _Now we'll see who this mysterious person is,_ he thought, crossing the room in two long strides. He flung open the door with a little more force than he'd intended, and demanded, irritably, "What do you want?"

His mind registered a flash of red, before someone was hugging him tightly.

"Shishou! I'm so glad you're alright!"

Hiko stood there, surprise written clearly all over his face, as he stared down at the red head. "Kenshin...?" he asked, uncertainly.

Fortunately, Kenshin didn't see his master's loss of composure, and Hiko recovered quickly. He allowed himself to enjoy the embrace for a moment before extracting himself from Kenshin's arms, a scowl on his face. "Why is it that you always want to hug me?" he asked, his tone irritated, although he was overjoyed to see Kenshin alive.

Kenshin just looked at him, still smiling broadly. Hiko noticed Kenshin's cheeks were a little red, but he attributed it to the cold. After all, he did live in the mountains, and it was a bit chilly in the morning. "I suppose you'll want some tea. You always did have an unhealthy addiction to that stuff. Well, if you want some, you have to go get the water. You know where the river is," Hiko said, handing Kenshin the bucket he kept by the door. Hiko needed some time to organize his thoughts, and get over the shock of seeing his deshi alive.

Kenshin took the bucket, but didn't move. He was overjoyed that Hiko was alive, and it was taking his mind a little longer than normal to process anything else.

Hiko glared at him, feigning annoyance. "Well? Are you going to stand there grinning like an idiot all day, or are you going to fetch the water?" he asked, his tone annoyed. He was actually a little worried. Kenshin wasn't usually that absent-minded. Something wasn't right.

Coming back to his senses, Kenshin bowed. "Gomen, Shishou. I'll go fetch some water right now," he said, turning and walking towards the stream. He looked back three times before disappearing down the path.

Hiko stood there, shaking his head, and muttering about 'baka deshi's'. As soon as Kenshin was out of sight, Hiko allowed himself to smile. _Kenshin's alive,_ he thought, walking back into his house. He was surprised at the emotional reaction he had to this fact. He felt almost giddy. Kneeling down on a mat, he began to meditate, trying to clear his mind. After all, he had a reputation to uphold, and acting giddy was not something he could allow.

. . .

Kenshin walked down to the river, smile still on his face. A huge burden had been lifted when he found out Hiko was alive. After all, if he didn't kill Hiko, perhaps he didn't kill Jineh, either. He was starting to stumble more and more as he walked down the path. When he reached the river, he sank against a tree, exhausted. The adrenaline from seeing his master had worn off, and Kenshin could feel his body starting to give out on him. _I need to rest. I'll just sit here for a few moments, and then I'll go back..._ he thought, as his conscious mind slipped away.

. . .

After having regained his peace of mind, Hiko occupied himself with mundane tasks, waiting for Kenshin's return. After an hour passed with still no sign of the red head, Hiko went in search of him. He found Kenshin by the river, taking a nap. _Lazy deshi,_ Hiko thought. Kenshin was leaning against a tree, breathing softly. The water bucket had fallen from his limp grasp, and was on the ground to his right. The color in Kenshin's cheeks made Hiko remember the temperature outside. "Why is it that I'm stuck with a baka deshi that's not smart enough to sleep inside when it's cold?" Hiko said, just in case Kenshin could hear him. There was no response. Hiko found this to be strange, as Kenshin was a light sleeper, but attributed it to exhaustion. That would explain why Kenshin had fallen asleep outside in the first place.

Leaning down, Hiko gently shook Kenshin's shoulder, noting that his clothes were damp. _It's not good to be traveling in wet clothes,_ Hiko thought, shaking Kenshin a little harder. Kenshin's head fell to the side, his hair falling forward across his face, but remained asleep, oblivious to Hiko's attempts to rouse him. Starting to become alarmed, Hiko brushed Kenshin's hair back and placed his hand against Kenshin's forehead. His skin was much hotter than it should have been.

Cursing, Hiko quickly but gently gathered his deshi in his arms and raced back to the cabin.

. . .

**To Be Continued**


	17. Shishou

Disclaimer: If I owned this, it would be in the manga or the anime and I wouldn't have to work at Walmart.

**Chapter 17**

Upon reaching his cabin, Hiko quickly spread out a futon and laid Kenshin on it, gently. He divided the water he had, preparing some willow bark tea to help bring the fever down and some valerian tea in case the fever kept Kenshin from resting properly. He poured the rest of the cold water into a bowl. Letting both pots of tea steep on the stove, Hiko brought the bowl of cold water and several cloths over to where Kenshin lay. He dipped one cloth in the water, wrung it out and placed it on Kenshin's forehead, to help bring down his temperature. Removing Kenshin's gi, Hiko was dismayed to see bandages hastily wrapped around Kenshin's stomach and shoulder.

_If he was careless enough to let himself become sick, I doubt he's taken proper care of his wounds,_ Hiko thought. He changed Kenshin into some drier, albeit larger, clothes before removing the bandages. Sure enough, the gash in Kenshin's stomach was an angry red and inflamed. Kenshin flinched, slightly, when Hiko touched it. The wound on his side didn't seem to be a problem, but it looked as though three to four inches of the slash in his back had been reopened, and was infected, as well.

Mentally cursing, Hiko laid Kenshin back on the futon, replacing the cloth on his deshi's forehead, before he went over to the stove and added some tienchi ginseng to the willow bark tea, to help strengthen Kenshin's body. Deciding the infection was contributing to Kenshin's fever, Hiko gathered a bowl, more cloths, needle, thread, some ointment, a knife, and got to work.

He poured some water into the bowl and placed it on the stove until it was warm. Dipping a cloth into the warm water, he laid it over the wound on Kenshin's stomach, to loosen the scabs and make the injury easier to clean. By this time the tea was ready, so Hiko put some of the willow bark tea into a cup and poured a little bit into Kenshin's mouth, coaxing him to drink it. Kenshin swallowed reflexively, and Hiko poured a little more in until he was satisfied Kenshin had drank a sufficient amount. The red head hadn't showed any signs of stirring due to the fever, so Hiko left the valerian tea in the pot, and set it off to the side.

Checking Kenshin's stomach, Hiko decided the scabs had loosened, and he began to clean the wound. Although he was careful, Kenshin still flinched, and tried to jerk away from Hiko's gentle ministrations. While cleaning away the scabs, Hiko found several small pockets of infection. Those would need to be cut open and drained.

Kenshin's reactions when Hiko had touched his stomach indicated that the red head would have to be restrained. This would be difficult to do without another person to help him, but the difference in their sizes could be used to Hiko's advantage. After some contemplation on the best method to use, Hiko sat down next to the futon, pulling Kenshin's upper body onto his lap. He placed his left arm around his deshi's back, holding Kenshin's left arm tightly while keeping his right arm pinned between Hiko's chest and Kenshin's side. He then placed his right leg over Kenshin's legs to hold them down and make sure he remained still. Making sure he had a firm grip on the red head, and trying not to think about the awkward position he was in, Hiko began reopening the infected areas.

Kenshin's body tensed as he reflexively tried to twist and free himself from his shishou's grasp, his breath coming in short, painful gasps. Hiko held him firmly, noticing that Kenshin's struggles were weak, at best. _The infections alone aren't enough to make him this weak. If I know him, he probably hasn't been eating or sleeping, lately. Baka deshi, when are you going to learn that part of having a will to live means you need to take care of yourself outside of battle, as well?!_ Hiko thought, annoyed at Kenshin's tendency to overlook his own welfare. When he was finished, he laid Kenshin back on the futon, using a clean cloth to wipe away the blood and pus that leaked from the newly opened parts of the wound. After cleaning it, Hiko applied the ointment liberally over Kenshin's stomach. There weren't any large pockets of infection, and Hiko didn't think it was deep enough to require stitches. Laying a piece of gauze over it, Hiko carefully rolled Kenshin onto his stomach.

The reopened part of the slash on Kenshin's back wasn't as big as the one on his stomach, but it still needed to be cleaned. Moving Kenshin's hair out of the way, Hiko placed a warm, damp cloth across the infected part of the injury, before hanging up Kenshin's clothes to dry. Having used all of his salve on Kenshin's stomach, Hiko prepared more while he waited for the scabs to loosen enough to be able to clean the wound easily.

Kenshin's soft, slightly shallow breathing was the only sound in the cottage. Having finished the ointment, Hiko began removing the scabs and dried blood on Kenshin's back. Having gone into a deeper slumber, the red head twitched a little bit when Hiko touched some of the more tender areas, but showed no other reaction to the pain. Although the wound was obviously infected, it hadn't closed in any areas, allowing Hiko to clean it better. _He must have hit something wooden,_ Hiko thought, seeing several slivers in Kenshin's skin. After cleaning it as best he could, Hiko rubbed the salve generously over the infected area before laying another piece of gauze on it.

Hiko tried to hold Kenshin in a sitting position while he wrapped bandages around his deshi's waist, but he couldn't hold Kenshin and wrap the cloth tightly at the same time. Finally, he leaned Kenshin's left shoulder against his chest, freeing both his hands to dress the wounds. When they were wrapped to his satisfaction, he laid Kenshin back down on the futon. Dipping several cloths in the bowl of cold water, Hiko placed the cold compresses on Kenshin's chest and arms, trying to lower his temperature. Having used up all of the water he had on hand, Hiko decided Kenshin would be fine while he went down to the river to retrieve the bucket and bring back some water.

. . .

The cold was the first thing Kenshin noticed. Shivering slightly, he looked around for something warm. His eyes landed on a thick blanket within arm's reach. Stretching out his arm to grab it, he realized he wasn't wearing a gi. _That's probably why I'm so cold,_ he thought, snuggling up in the blanket. He was still cold, but the blanket helped a little.

He looked around, trying to figure out where he was. The house looked very familiar, but his muddled mind couldn't supply him with who lived there. _I don't know very many potters,_ he thought, looking at the vast collection of clay pots along the wall. _And certainly none that would welcome me into their home._

Deciding to take a different approach, Kenshin went back over his most recent memories. _I was traveling... I was in a hurry to get to... Kyoto! Shishou!_ Kenshin thought, his dream where he killed Hiko coming back to him clearly. He looked around the house once more. _Yes, this was where Shishou lived, but...it's changed. Does someone else live here now? But, I remember seeing Shishou!_ There was no one in the house, and nothing indicated Hiko was the one living there. _Could I have imagined it?! But, it seemed so real! I saw Shishou, and then I went down to the river to get some water. But, then how did I get back in here? Could I have only imagined seeing Master? I've gone to the river so many times-- did seeing this place bring back one of those memories? Could I have collapsed outside, and the potter that lives here took me in? But, then where is Shishou, now? Is he even alive?!_ Kenshin shook his head. _No, he MUST be alive! I will not allow any thoughts to the contrary until I've seen proof. But, how can I find him...?_ Kenshin thought, his anxiety giving him the energy to rise. He stood a little shakily, wrapping the blanket around himself and leaning against the wall for support. He paused, centering himself, before making his way over to the door. He had to find out who lived here.

. . .

Hiko had gone to the river, filled the bucket, retrieved Kenshin's bag and was on his way back when he felt Kenshin's ki starting to become agitated. Wondering what could be worrying his deshi, Hiko increased his speed, trying to sense anything that could be the cause of Kenshin's stress. He could find nothing, yet his deshi's anxiety only continued to grow. He had entered the clearing where his house was when the door opened.

Kenshin stood in the doorway, visibly sagging against the frame in relief when he spotted Hiko walking towards him. Hiko was more than a little puzzled at Kenshin's behavior. "Do you need something?" he asked, thinking the red head might have needed help with something, and was relieved when Hiko came back to assist him.

Kenshin shook his head, smiling.

"Well, then what are you doing up? If you don't need anything, get back to bed! And give me that blanket!" Hiko said, taking the blanket from Kenshin. _What's wrong with Kenshin? It was almost as if he was relieved to see **me.** But why?_

Kenshin shivered, wrapping his arms around himself, as soon as Hiko took the blanket and ushered him back inside. "Please, Shishou-- I'm cold," he said, looking longingly at the blanket flung carelessly over Hiko's arm.

"No, you're not. You may feel like you're cold, but your temperature is too high already," he said, taking Kenshin's arm and guiding him back to the futon. Kenshin was swaying on his feet, and Hiko didn't think the red head could remain standing much longer. "Of course, you probably wouldn't even _have_ a fever if you'd cleaned your wounds properly. And then you collapse on my doorstep and expect me to take care of you! How long ago did you receive these wounds, anyway?" Hiko asked, helping Kenshin lie down on the futon.

Having been reassured that Hiko was alive and well, Kenshin was having trouble focusing on things. He was cold and tired, but he heard Hiko's question, and tried to come up with an answer. "A few days," he said, drowsily.

"A few days? Baka deshi, you're lucky the infection wasn't worse!" Seeing Kenshin about to drift back to sleep, Hiko set down the blanket and quickly got a cup of the valerian tea he had made earlier. "Drink this, and then I'll let you go back to sleep," he instructed, helping Kenshin drink the tea.

Kenshin made a face at the bitter taste, and the fact that it was cold. "You could've at least warmed it up, first," he complained.

"It was warm earlier, but you had decided to take a nap," Hiko replied, taking the empty cup back over to the sink. He heard the soft rustle of cloth, and turned around. Kenshin was curled up in the blanket he had left on the floor.

"Give me that!" he said, snatching the blanket away.

Kenshin shivered. "But, Shishou, I'm cold!"

"I already told you, it's all in your mind. You already have a high fever, and I don't need you making it any worse!"

Kenshin looked as if he was deciding whether to argue or go to sleep. Sleep won out, and he closed his eyes in defeat. Within moments, his discomforts were forgotten as sweet oblivion overtook his weary mind, and he slept.

Hiko didn't feel like fighting with him, so he waited until Kenshin was asleep before replacing the cold cloths that had fallen off when Kenshin stood. Placing his hand against Kenshin's forehead, Hiko sighed. _His temperature isn't going down. Of course, I suppose it would help if he actually stayed in bed! Baka deshi!_ Hiko thought, annoyed. His mind wandered to why Kenshin was up in the first place. _What was upsetting him so? It seemed as though he was worried about me. But, why?_

. . .

Kenshin slept relatively peacefully for the remainder of the morning and part of the afternoon. He became restless around three, shifting uncomfortably on the futon, tossing his head from side to side, and moaning softly.

Hiko put the valerian tea back on the stove to warm up before going over to Kenshin. "Kenshin," he said, gently shaking the red head. It took longer than normal, but eventually Kenshin opened his eyes, looking drowsily at Hiko. "You need to eat. Do you feel up to it right now?"

Kenshin stared at Hiko as his mind processed the question before he closed his eyes, weakly shaking his head. He shivered as Hiko placed his cool hand against Kenshin's forehead.

_His temperature is rising. I can give him the rest of the willow bark tea I made earlier, but I'll need to make more if his fever doesn't start to go down soon,_ Hiko thought, going over to the stove. There was about half of a cup left of the willow bark tea, so he filled the other half with the now hot valerian tea on the stove. After getting Kenshin to drink it, he walked over to the cabinet where he kept his medicines. After searching through it for a bit, he swore softly, so as to not disturb Kenshin who had fallen asleep again. _I need more, so naturally I used the last of my willow bark this morning. Lovely._ Hiko sighed, his eyes straying over to Kenshin's sleeping form. _It's too late to go to Kyoto today, even if I could leave Kenshin alone for that long. I suppose I'll have to wait until tomorrow, and see if he's doing better then._

. . .

Taking care of Kenshin had taken quite a bit of time away from everything else Hiko had to do, so he took advantage of the hours Kenshin slept to accomplish all the other tasks that needed to be done around the house. It was eight o'clock by the time he finished his chores and started making dinner. A mumbled sentence caused him to turn.

"Kenshin?" he asked, facing towards the futon. Kenshin still appeared to be asleep, but his lips were moving. Hiko moved closer, trying to hear what Kenshin was saying.

"...half a man cannot...manslayer within..."

Hiko was a little confused. That sounded like what he had told Kenshin when he passed on the ougi, but why would the red head be dreaming about that?

"...I will kill again...? Who, Master? Who did I kill?!..."

_"Who **did** I kill?" Kenshin thinks he's broken his vow, and he expects me to know?_ Hiko thought, as confused as his deshi apparently was.

"...ending my life? You want...to kill me? ...Shishou?..."

The last part was spoken so softly that Hiko almost missed it. _Well, I know he's dreaming about when I passed on the ougi. The question is, why does he sound so confused, as if he doesn't know what's going on...?_

"...smells like blood... there's so much blood on the ground..."

Hiko could see Kenshin's eyes moving up behind his eyelids, as if he was slowly raising his eyes, afraid of what he would see. His breathing quickened and his body began to shake uncontrollably.

"...no...please...please don't let me have killed him...no... He can't be dead! SHISHOU!" Kenshin's voice rose gradually in volume, shouting the last part. His eyes flew open, looking wildly around the house as he tried to get up.

Immediately Hiko put his hands on Kenshin's shoulders, restraining him. Kenshin didn't seem to be aware of Hiko, and struggled to free himself. Hiko's voice broke through the haze covering Kenshin's mind.

"Calm down, Kenshin, it's alright," he said, soothingly. Wide, terrified violet eyes locked on to his calm brown ones. "It was just a dream."

Hiko kept his hands on Kenshin's shoulders until his deshi had calmed down to the point where he wouldn't accidentally hurt himself before moving one hand to Kenshin's forehead. His temperature had gone up, and was probably the cause of Kenshin's nightmare. Closing his eyes in frustration, Hiko rose and walked back to the half-prepared meal.

"Shishou?" Kenshin asked, softly, as Hiko left his side. He was pretty shaken up by the dream, and wanted reassurance that Hiko wasn't leaving.

Hiko seemed to understand what Kenshin was looking for, and answered in a more gentle tone than usual. "I need to finish making dinner, Kenshin," he said, making sure to stay where the red head could see him. Since Kenshin was awake and not planning on going back to sleep immediately, Hiko made enough for both of them. Although his hands went through the motions, his mind was elsewhere. _A fever induced nightmare. For some reason, Kenshin thought he killed me. That explains why he was so relieved to see that I was alive. However, he should not have had that confusion in the first place. How could he remember learning the ougi, but forget that I survived?_ Hiko wondered, remembering Kenshin's reaction to seeing Hiko alive the morning after he passed on the ougi. It had been the same when Kenshin had seen him this morning. Hiko paused, remembering some of Kenshin's unconscious words. _He didn't seem to know what was going on in his dream. Perhaps, he has lost his memory. I do not know how Kenshin managed to escape Shishio's hideout, but that is when he disappeared. I would guess that he probably suffered a blow to the head, which affected his memory. Something happened that reminded him of learning the ougi, but it's not a complete memory. His fever and neglecting his health caused him to have dreams that altered what he remembered, making him think that he killed me. This is even more complicated than I anticipated,_ Hiko thought, sighing. He knew he probably wouldn't get much sleep tonight, between Kenshin waking up every few hours and his own musings on his deshi's mental condition.

When he had finished preparing the meal, he wordlessly helped Kenshin sit up before placing a tray of food before him. Kneeling opposite the younger man, Hiko set his own tray down and began to eat. Kenshin picked at his food for a while before part of his appetite kicked in. He couldn't finish what Hiko had given him, but he did eat most of it.

When the dinner dishes had been cleaned and put away, Hiko changed Kenshin's bandages. Kenshin had to lie back down for Hiko to properly clean the wound on his stomach. Even though he hid his pain well, Hiko could tell that the wound was extremely tender, and tried to cause Kenshin as little pain as possible. The wound on his back wasn't as bad, but Hiko could still feel Kenshin stiffen involuntarily as his fingers brushed against it.

After Kenshin's injuries had been re-bandaged, Hiko reheated the last of the valerian tea. When it was warm enough, he poured it into a cup and gave it to Kenshin. The red head took it, distractedly. He opened his mouth to speak, but Hiko beat him to it.

"We can discuss it tomorrow morning."

Kenshin blinked, looking a little confused. Because he was sick and his mind wasn't functioning at its best, Hiko decided to elaborate. "You were going to explain what you were dreaming about, weren't you? You knew I would ask about it and so decided to get it over with as soon as possible." The look of surprise on Kenshin's face confirmed his guess. Hiko smirked. "After all, I'm your master, aren't I? I know what my baka deshi is thinking. We'll discuss it in the morning," he said, his voice taking a slightly gentler tone.

Kenshin smiled, bowing his head. "Arigatou, Shishou," he said, softly. Kenshin never thought he would miss being called a stupid apprentice, but hearing Hiko refer to him as such evoked a strange feeling of nostalgia. It was a familiar term and he knew Hiko used it affectionately. At least, Kenshin was relatively certain that he did.

With such pleasant and comforting thoughts occupying his mind, Kenshin absent-mindedly took a drink of his tea. He gagged, coughing and pulling back sharply at the unexpected bitter taste.

Hiko tried not to smile. "You have to drink that," he said, as Kenshin started to set the cup aside.

Kenshin looked at him, his expression begging Hiko to reconsider, "But, Shishou-- "

"All of it," Hiko said, his tone brooking no argument. "That will help you sleep and I don't need you waking me up every few hours because you're restless. Drink it."

Looking at Hiko's face and realizing this was an argument he could not win, Kenshin's shoulders sagged as he bowed his head, defeated. Kenshin looked so much like he did when he was younger and used to pout, that Hiko was having problems trying not to laugh at his deshi's expense. Sullenly, Kenshin took the cup, pausing at his mouth, before quickly drinking the horrid concoction in one shot. He handed the cup back to Hiko, trying desperately to get the hideous taste out of his mouth by swallowing multiple times.

Turning his back on Kenshin as he walked to the sink, Hiko allowed himself to smile. He had forgotten how entertaining his deshi could be. It was a pity he didn't have any more valerian tea ready.

. . .

Kenshin slept through the night and well into the morning. He awoke to the sound of Hiko chopping firewood outside. While Kenshin couldn't clearly remember the events of the previous day, he remembered being comforted by his master's presence.

He shifted, trying to get comfortable on the futon. The movement reminded him of his injuries, and he tested them to see how well they were healing. Although they were still very tender, he was pleased to find that, if he was careful, he could sit up without assistance. He didn't feel strong enough to stand up yet, but his head felt much clearer than it had in days. His examination was cut short when Hiko walked in through the door.

"Oh, so you finally decided to wake up, did you? Your fever broke sometime during the night, so I expected you up earlier than this. Still as lazy as ever, I see," he commented, walking over to the kitchen. He started to warm up the leftovers from breakfast.

Kenshin was silent, knowing a response was not needed or expected. When it had been sufficiently warmed, Hiko placed the tray in front of Kenshin, organizing some of the pottery on the shelf while Kenshin ate. After he was done, Hiko took the dishes and cleaned them before kneeling in front of Kenshin.

Never having been one to beat around the bush, Hiko took the direct approach. "It's obvious that you've lost some of your memories," he said, bluntly.

Kenshin was startled by Hiko's abruptness. _How did he know...?_ Kenshin wondered, trying to remember if he'd said anything the previous day.

"You came to me, asking to learn the final techniques of Hiten Mitsurugi Ryu about a month and a half ago."

"Oro?!" _I came to complete my training?! But, what would cause me to do that?!_ Kenshin opened his mouth to voice his question, but Hiko continued, ignoring the interruption.

"However, I wasn't going to teach it to you, until your annoying friends from Tokyo came. It seems you've been quite busy this past year," Hiko remarked, almost casually. He carefully watched Kenshin's reaction to his words.

Kenshin's mind was racing faster than his battoujutsu. _Friends from Tokyo? I've been busy this past year? Kaoru and the others said I've been living in Tokyo for a year. Could they have been telling the truth...? But, they know who I am! They know about my past! How could they possibly...?_ Kenshin's thoughts weren't getting him anywhere, so he decided to ask Hiko. "Shishou, my friends from Tokyo -- do you remember their names, or what they looked like?" he asked, neutrally.

"There was a short, energetic girl with a short temper and a loud mouth named Misao, but I've seen her around in Kyoto. The other two that were with her, however, were from Tokyo. A small boy, a loud-mouthed brat with a temper and ego to match, who idolized you. His name was Yahiko, I believe. There was also another woman, very soft spoken and confused the first time I talked to her. Her name was Kaoru. Oh, there was also that gangster, Sanosuke," Hiko said, remembering when Sano and Aoshi came back to the destroyed Aoiya. Kaoru and Yahiko had immediately asked him about Kenshin, so it was reasonable to assume that he, too, was one of Kenshin's friends.

Kenshin didn't know who the first person Hiko described was, although the name did sound familiar. There could be no mistake, however, about the other three. This brought some measure of comfort to Kenshin, bringing a small smile to his face. According to Hiko, Sanosuke was considered to be one of his friends a month and a half ago, and Kenshin was relatively sure that the flashback he'd had of his fight with Sanosuke had taken place before that. His smile disappeared quickly as he remembered the flashback of Jineh. Hiko seemed to hint that he knew what had happened the past year, so Kenshin decided to ask. "Shishou, do you know anything about a man called Jineh?"

Hiko studied Kenshin. The red head seemed to remember his friends, why would he ask about Jineh? According to Kaoru, Kenshin fought Jineh shortly after meeting Sanosuke, which was almost a year ago. "Yes," Hiko answered. He was beginning to wonder how much Kenshin didn't remember.

"Did I..." Kenshin paused, taking a deep breath. _I have to know._ "Did I kill him?"

"No. You defeated him, and he turned his sword on himself. To my knowledge, you have not broken your vow."

Kenshin's entire body relaxed slightly at Hiko's words. _I haven't broken my vow,_ he thought, relieved.

"Although, I've heard that you haven't been living up to the standards of a swordsman trained in Hiten Mitsurugi Ryu, even if you were just a baka deshi," Hiko said, his tone somewhat condescending.

Kenshin blinked, confused. "What do you mean, Shishou?"

"You allowed yourself to be captured."

"Wha-- "

**_It was dark, the rain poured down, soaking Kenshin. He was on a ship, using the rail to pull himself to a standing position. He could feel poison rushing through his body, weakening him, and his shoulder throbbed where the dart had hit him. He saw Kaoru tied up on the deck of the pirate ship beneath him. Without a thought, he jumped on to the smaller ship._**

_**He landed on the deck, staying on his feet through sheer force of will alone. Ignoring the other pirates, he addressed their leader. "Shura-dono, I beg you! Please allow Kaoru-dono to go free! It doesn't matter who you are, it's wrong to involve innocent people in a personal battle! I'm begging you, **_**please let her go!"**

**_Kenshin's anger flared as one of the pirates dared to rest his steel claws on Kaoru's cheek. He glared, watching for an opportunity to strike, when Shura stopped the insolent man. She turned back to Kenshin._**

_**"We'll free her -- under the condition that you take her place."**_

_**Kenshin stared, the poison making it difficult for him to process what she said. She walked closer to him, reaching for his sword and pulling it from the sheath. He didn't try to stop her.**_

_**"You've just sold your soul to the Devil, Himura. Let the woman go free!"**_

Kenshin shook his head, bringing his mind back to the present. Hiko was looking at him intently. "Shishou, you are correct that I allowed myself to be captured. I traded my life for Kaoru-dono's -- I hardly think that qualifies as disgracing Hiten Mitsurugi Ryu," he said, a little upset. His anger was not directed at Hiko, but at himself. Had he not allowed himself to be poisoned, Kaoru would never have been captured in the first place. By that reasoning, he _did_ disgrace his sword-style. He waited, knowing that would be the next comment out of Hiko's mouth, and knowing his master would be right.

Kenshin was startled when, instead of a derogatory remark, Hiko sat back, folding his arms and bowing his head. He closed his eyes, apparently in deep thought.

Knowing his master did not like his thoughts to be disturbed, Kenshin allowed his mind to wander back across his regained memory. As he thought about it, a few more details came to him. He remembered that he been hired to protect the cargo on the ship, and Sano and Yahiko were there, as well. His mind wandered to his other fragmented memories. He went through them, a little disappointed that he couldn't remember more, until he thought about his fight with Hiko. _Shishou said that I came to complete my training. Why? What would drive me to do something like that?_ Hesitantly, Kenshin drew Hiko's attention. "Shishou...?"

Hiko opened his eyes, looking annoyed at having his thoughts interrupted. "What?" he asked, gruffly.

"You said I came to complete my training-- " Kenshin started before Hiko interrupted him.

"Kenshin, I realize that you've lost part of your memory, but I'm not going to teach the final techniques to you again. Once was enough," Hiko said, adding that last part more to himself than to Kenshin.

Kenshin looked a little taken back. "No, it's not that. It's-- well, do you know why I came back? I didn't come back here in fourteen years. Why did I ask to complete my training now?"

"You came back because you wanted -- needed -- to become stronger in order to defeat Shishio Makoto."

Kenshin's eyes widened slightly. "Shishio?"

_**A woman, wearing an elegant dress with an extremely low neckline that barely hung on her body, moved a screen out of the way, revealing a hidden staircase. A man, completely wrapped in bandages, threw a sheathed sword at Kenshin, who dodged it easily. Hearing someone catch the sheath, Kenshin turned around, facing a boy who was smiling and obviously excited about something.**_

_**"Hey, Soujiro! Why don't you play with them for me, okay?**_

_**"Are you sure about this? I mean, letting me use your sword, Shishio-san?**_

-- -- -- -

_**Shishio stood on a ship near the helm, Soujiro at his side. Kenshin and Saito were standing below him on the deck. Flames engulfed the back of the ship, reminding all on board that it would soon be resting at the bottom of the bay.**_

_**"We'll settle this on Mt. Hiei, at the shrine of the Six Arches -- our **_**true_ headquarters."_**

_**"I accept the terms of the duel."**_

-- -- -- -

_**Shishio stood in the middle of an arena, smokestacks spouting flame surrounding it. He spoke as soon as Kenshin stepped through the door. **_

_**"Welcome, Battousai. My opinion of you has changed a lot. You defeated Soujiro, the strongest solider of chaos that I raised, and you did it without killing him. But, if you think that you can be that soft when you're fighting with me, let me tell you that you're sadly mistaken."**_

Kenshin lowered his head into his hands, as if trying to protect himself from the vicious onslaught of memories. Hiko realized what was happening, and decided to give Kenshin some time alone to sort through his resurfacing memories. Silently standing, he felt Kenshin's ki, trying to get an idea of how long this would take. By the amount of confusion in Kenshin's aura, Hiko estimated it could take several hours, if not all day, before his deshi had his mind straightened out. Mentally sighing, Hiko gathered up some of his pottery. _I suppose that now is as good a time as any to go to Kyoto,_ he thought, walking out the door. _Let's see, I'll sell these, then I need to pick up some more willow bark, rice, sake..._

. . .

**To Be Continued**


	18. Recovery

Disclaimer: I don't own anything in this story.

**Chapter 18**

It was late afternoon by the time Hiko got back from Kyoto. He wasn't surprised to find Kenshin asleep. Kenshin's body was still weak, and one resurfacing memory would put a lot of stress on his mind. Several memories all at once had exhausted him. Moving quietly, Hiko began putting up what he bought in town, trying not to disturb Kenshin. The red head could use all the rest he could get.

Kenshin woke up about an hour later, listening to the sound of Hiko making dinner. He lay there, remembering when he had heard these sounds every night, looking forward to a good meal after an arduous day of training. He continued reminiscing until a superior voice broke into his thoughts.

"Oh, so you finally decided to wake up, did you? You slept all day and night yesterday, and then sleep all day today. I don't think there's a more lazy deshi around," Hiko complained, bringing a tray of food over to Kenshin.

Dinner was a silent affair, both swordsmen lost in their own thoughts. After they had both finished, Hiko decided it was time for some answers.

"Kenshin, you came to my mountain almost seven weeks ago. What have you been doing during that time?"

Kenshin told Hiko about waking up in the hospital and leaving Kyoto as soon as possible, and about the temple he stayed at, although he left out the part about the bandits and Monk Yoshii recognizing him as Battousai. He also told Hiko about meeting Kaoru and the others, and about how he had received the wounds on his stomach and back.

When Kenshin had finished, Hiko took a drink of his sake, pensively. Opening his eyes, he looked at Kenshin. "It's pretty obvious that you need to regain your memories, to prevent similar situations in the future. Distractions during a fight will get you killed. To accomplish this, I think it would be best for you to return to Tokyo."

Kenshin had hoped to learn as much as he could from Hiko before facing the others. "But, Shishou--"

"I don't know you, Kenshin. Of the past fifteen years, five days have been spent in my presence. You've been unconscious for most of yesterday and today, and the other three days were spent training. Any information I tell you is merely what was told me by the Kamiya girl. If you want to regain your memories, you need to go to the people who know you as the man you've become, not as the child you once were."

"But, Shishou, I don't remember where Kaoru-dono lives. How am I supposed to find the dojo?" Kenshin asked, a little worried. It sounded as if Hiko was trying to kick him out, and even Kenshin knew that he wouldn't be strong enough to travel for at least another day or two.

Hiko had no sympathy for Kenshin's lack of directions. "How are you supposed to find the Kamiya dojo in Tokyo? The same way you expected me to find the Aoiya in Kyoto! In case you don't remember, you asked me to protect your friends while you fought Shishio, but you neglected to include the directions to the Aoiya!"

Kenshin blinked, the memory coming back to him. "But, you've lived here for over twenty years," Kenshin said, a little surprised that Hiko had just admitted to getting lost. "I thought you would know where it was."

"Baka deshi, in the four years you trained with me, how often did we go to Kyoto?"

"Only as often as absolutely necessary, I suppose," Kenshin answered.

"And where did we go?"

Kenshin sighed, seeing where this was leading. Apparently, Hiko had been wanting to lecture him about this for some time. "Only where we absolutely had to."

"So, what makes you think that I would know where the Aoiya was?"

Kenshin looked at Hiko innocently. "Well, you always knew everything else. I never thought that you would get _lost_ in a city you've lived near for over _twenty years_. Besides, you used to tell me that you _never_ got lost."

"Not knowing where to go is different from being lost, Kenshin," Hiko said, a little huffily. It didn't bother him that he hadn't known where to go. It bothered him that he had almost broken his promise to Kenshin because of it. Had he arrived a few minutes later, Fuji would have made short work of Kenshin's friends.

"Hai, Shishou. Gomen nasai for not giving you directions," Kenshin said, bowing his head to hide his smile. His smile faded as quickly as it had come. "If you think it's best for me to return to Tokyo, then I'll leave in the morning, that I will," Kenshin said, softly, his head still bowed. He was a little hurt that his master wanted him gone as soon as possible.

Hiko was a little taken back at Kenshin's statement. _It's obvious he doesn't want to face his friends. Why does he want to leave for Tokyo so soon? He won't be able to travel for at least another day. Perhaps he thinks I'm telling him to leave? Knowing him, probably,_Hiko thought, shaking his head. "Baka deshi! You should know your limits better than anyone else. If you leave in the morning, you'll probably collapse before you reach Kyoto, and I'd have to carry you back up here, again! Despite what you may think, I have more useful ways to spend my time than having to carry you back here every time you pass out. You can stay for as long as necessary," he said, standing.

Kenshin's head snapped up at his master's statement. Hiko carefully schooled his features, resisting the urge to smile at the expression on Kenshin's face. Turning, Hiko walked back into the kitchen, and quickly cleaned the dinner dishes.

Kenshin watched him the entire time, and Hiko was becoming slightly annoyed because of it. He didn't like people staring at him. "Do you _need_ something, Kenshin? I assume you've been sleeping most of the day. Would you like me to make you some more valerian tea to help you rest?" Hiko asked, turning to look at his deshi.

Kenshin looked a little confused before his mind linked the valerian tea to the nasty medicine Hiko had made him drink the previous night. His eyes widened slightly. "No, Shishou, I'm fine, that I am. I really _don't_ need any valerian tea, that I most certainly do not!" he replied, hastily.

Hiko smirked at Kenshin's reaction. However, the smirk was gone, replaced by a scowl, before Kenshin had time to realize that Hiko was having fun at his expense.

. . .

The next morning, Kenshin was feeling much better, so Hiko put him to work doing chores around the house. The first item on the agenda was laundry.

Kenshin started with his own clothes, so he could wear something that fit instead of borrowing Hiko's clothes. He was a little upset that he couldn't get all of the blood out of his green gi, but it had set for almost a week, so it wasn't surprising. After he had hung up his clothes to dry, he started on the mound of Hiko's dirty garments. _Doesn't he ever wash his laundry? There's probably over a week's worth of clothes here! What would he have done if I hadn't come...?_ Kenshin thought, picking up the first gi and dunking it in the soapy water.

The day grew warmer, making Kenshin's bangs stick to his forehead, and causing sweat to trickle down his back. Becoming annoyed, Kenshin pushed his bangs out of his face, running his hand down the length of his hair. He leaned forward to start scrubbing the cloth in the tub, irritably pushing his hair back behind his shoulders. He caught his reflection in the water, noticing he had gotten soap bubbles in his hair.

_**Kenshin was kneeling in front of a laundry tub, washing some clothes. Two little girls were 'helping' him, one on either side, playing with his hair. Looking at his reflection in the water, Kenshin saw he had two triangular-shaped 'ears' made out of bubbles on his head.**_

_**"He's a rabbit, he's a rabbit!" the girls cried in unison, giggling.**_

_**"Alright, okay," Kenshin said, smiling at them.**_

Kenshin blinked, staring at his reflection in the water. _Who were those little girls?_ he wondered, mechanically picking up the last garment and washing it. No matter how hard he tried, he couldn't remember anything else about them. Kenshin distractedly hung the last item on the clothesline, trying to remember the little girls' names. Hiko's voice interrupted his thoughts.

"It's about time you finished washing those clothes." Hiko looked into the sky, checking the position of the sun, "It's almost time for lunch, but you need to wash yourself first. I know you haven't had a bath in the last two days, and I don't even want to think about the last time you bathed before that!" Hiko called from where he was sitting, across the clearing in front of the kiln.

"Oro?!"

"Don't give me that! You're not stepping foot in my house until you've taken a bath! The water's already been warmed up," Hiko said, inspecting some pottery he had removed from the kiln. He looked at Kenshin, annoyed. "Well, what are you waiting for? I can smell you from all the way over here! You can either do it yourself or I can do it for you but, one way or another, you're getting a bath!"

"I'm going, I'm going," Kenshin said, quickly making his way to the bath house. Once inside, he stripped out of Hiko's borrowed clothes, and carefully removed his bandages. Sitting down on the stool, he took his time soaping up, determined to not give Hiko a reason to ridicule him further.

After he had finished, he checked the temperature of the water, not wanting to submerge his tender wounds in hot water. The water was lukewarm, and Kenshin carefully eased himself into the furo. His injuries were sensitive to the heat, but it was not thoroughly unpleasant. Being mindful of his back, Kenshin leaned against the side of the furo, idly working his fingers through the knots in his hair. Closing his eyes, he listened to the wind rustling the leaves in the trees, and the crackle of the fire that Hiko was building in the kiln. The warm water was soothing, and Kenshin relaxed, allowing his mind to wander as he fell into a trance-like state.

He was jolted out of it by a pounding on the door. "Kenshin! Are you trying to drown yourself in there? What's taking you so long?!" Hiko demanded through the closed door.

Kenshin sat up, shivering slightly. _When did the water get so cold?_ he thought, quickly exiting the tub. "I was making sure I was clean so that I didn't offend you, Shishou," Kenshin replied, easily.

"Making sure you were clean? Kenshin, you've been in there for two hours!"

"Oro?!" Kenshin hadn't realized he'd been in there _that_ long. _No wonder the water was so cold,_ Kenshin thought, drying off.

He could hear Hiko sigh through the door. "You forgot your clothes. I'll leave them outside the door." Hiko's voice dropped in volume, causing Kenshin to strain to hear it. "He probably fell asleep in the bath. Of all the deshis I could have chosen, I had to pick a baka like him..." Hiko muttered, walking away from the bathhouse.

After Hiko was gone, Kenshin got dressed, relishing the feel of clothes that actually fit. He left his gi off, and walked back inside the house. While Hiko was warming up the remnants of lunch, Kenshin spread some ointment on the wound on his stomach and then bandaged it. Hiko brought Kenshin his food, and applied the salve to Kenshin's back while he ate. He waited until Kenshin had finished before applying the bandages. Slipping into his gi, Kenshin stood, taking his dishes over to the sink.

"What are you doing?" Hiko asked, his tone implying Kenshin was in trouble.

The red head looked at him, a little confused. "I was just going to wash the dishes, that I was," Kenshin replied.

Hiko shook his head. "Oh, no. I'll have you know I personally crafted each and every one of those impeccable works of art," he said, nodding towards the dishes. "And I like them much better in one piece."

Kenshin stared, bewildered, before it dawned on him. Almost immediately, he rolled his eyes. "I'm sorry I broke your sake jug--" Kenshin began, his tone placating.

"My _favorite_ one," Hiko interrupted.

"--but that was over _fourteen years_ ago!" Kenshin finished, a little exasperated.

"Kenshin, I'll have you know that I put a lot of effort into all of my pottery, _especially_ the ones I use myself. I don't feel like replacing every dish you will undoubtedly break," Hiko said, folding his arms. _Besides, you've been bedridden for two days. That means you're weak, and being weak makes you clumsy._

Kenshin opened his mouth to reply, then thought better of it, shaking his head._This is stupid. I can't believe I'm arguing over whether or not I can do the dishes! Fine, let him wash them,_ Kenshin thought, incredulously. "Alright, Shishou, I won't wash the dishes," Kenshin said, raising his hands in defeat.

Hiko smirked triumphantly, and Kenshin couldn't help but wonder how much sake he had consumed this morning. Hiko stood up. "Good. Now, why don't you go and do something useful, like clean the house? As long as you stay here, you can earn your keep. I didn't raise you to be a freeloader," he said, walking back outside.

Kenshin shook his head as he watched Hiko leave. _It's nice to know that some things never change,_ he thought, smiling, as he found the broom and got to work.

. . .

The week passed with Kenshin doing all the chores around the house while Hiko worked on his pottery. Kenshin had regained several memories during that time, mostly ones pertaining to housework. Given the fact that his memories were all in the same place and had included either Kaoru, Yahiko, Sanosuke, or sometimes even Megumi, he felt relatively sure that he was remembering things he did at the dojo. There were also more memories of the little girls, and other people he couldn't name. Lying on his futon, watching the predawn light spill into the room, Kenshin felt that he was ready to return to Tokyo.

Silently leaving his bed, Kenshin folded the futon before checking his injuries and getting dressed. His wounds were well on their way to healing, and it had only taken two or three days before he had gotten most of his strength back. Although he was physically able to make the journey to Tokyo a few days earlier, it was nice to spend time becoming reacquainted with Hiko. It had been far too long, and Kenshin promised himself that he wouldn't wait for another fifteen years to visit his master. After getting ready and packing what little belongings he had, Kenshin made his way to the kitchen to start breakfast.

Later, as Kenshin was finishing the preparations for the meal, Hiko walked in. He could tell there was something slightly different about Kenshin, and studied his deshi, critically. Kenshin, for his part, seemed unaware of the scrutiny. He set down a bowl of rice, avoiding Hiko's eye.

"You've decided to return to Tokyo today." It wasn't a question.

Kenshin didn't look up, or even seem surprised at Hiko's statement. "Yes, Shishou," he replied.

The meal was eaten in silence. Afterward, Kenshin cleaned up the dishes while Hiko went outside. When he was finished, Kenshin gathered his belongings and exited the house. Hiko was sitting on a log in front of the kiln.

"Shishou. Thank you for taking care of me. I am in your debt," Kenshin said, bowing. Hiko snorted. Kenshin ignored him and continued. "I am sorry that my visits seem to be limited to only those times when I require your assistance. If you don't mind, I would like to come visit you more often."

Hiko looked at Kenshin before giving a long-suffering sigh. "I don't think you can visit without bringing trouble. I suppose you'd come back to visit even if I told you not to. Do what you wish; I've never been able to stop you in the past, anyway," he said, muttering the last part to himself.

Kenshin smiled. He had gotten used to translating what Hiko said into what he had meant. _"Come back if you need help. Not that you'd obey me if I didn't want you to come back, but I would like to see you again. Why are you even asking if you never listened to me before?"_ Kenshin shook his head. Some things will never change. Shishou is definitely one of those things.

"Well? Are you going to stand there all day, or are you going to leave? It's a long way to Tokyo, and you still need to pick up supplies in Kyoto. I thought you wanted to get an early start?"

"Hai, Shishou, I'm going. Ja mata," Kenshin said, walking away from the hut.

Hiko watched as his only deshi disappeared down the trail. "Adiosu, Kenshin."

. . .

**To Be Continued**

**Japanese Terms**

**ja mata** - casual goodbye, literally means "I'll see you again"

**adiosu** - goodbye


	19. Aoiya

Disclaimer: I own nothing of importance.

**Chapter 19**

It was past noon by the time Kenshin arrived in Kyoto. He was a little apprehensive about walking around in the city in broad daylight, but it couldn't be helped. Although, while the city itself hadn't changed that much, the atmosphere had. He had been so eager to leave Kyoto a few weeks ago that he hadn't noticed it then. The city was still bustling with activity, but there was a peaceful feeling in the air that had been sorely lacking during the Bakumatsu. Relaxing a bit more, Kenshin decided it was time to pay his respects to someone he had neglected for a long time. Stopping at a flower vendor, he purchased an iris before heading towards his new destination.

. . .

Aoshi walked down the street, carrying a small bucket holding flowers. He turned into the cemetery, reverently walking between the graves before stopping in front of several memorial tablets. Kneeling on the ground, he respectfully placed a single flower in front of four of the stone markers praying at each one in turn. After a slight hesitation, Aoshi placed the last flower in front of the fifth stone. As he laid the blossom on the ground, he sensed someone with strong ki entering the other side of the cemetery.

If the person was aware of Aoshi, he ignored the ninja's presence, walking towards an older section of the graveyard. The ex-leader of the Oniwabanshu concentrated on the ki, following the newcomer's movements. Sensing the fighter stop, presumably at a grave, Aoshi turned his attention back to the memorial tablets in front of him, although he was still keeping tabs on the other's location. After a few minutes more, Aoshi realized there was something very familiar about the ki, as if he had felt it more than once before. Studying it closer, the ninja tried to figure out who it was. The answer he came up with was quite shocking.

_That is impossible. Himura is dead,_ Aoshi thought. However, the more he studied it, he couldn't deny that the ki did indeed belong to Himura Kenshin. _This problem is solved easily enough,_ Aoshi thought, standing. Leaving his bucket on the ground, he made his way across the cemetery to see for himself who this person was.

. . .

Kenshin entered the cemetery, distractedly making his way through the old stone markers. He hadn't been here in almost twelve years, and he felt a little guilty that it had been his own feelings towards this city that had kept him away. He found the grave easily enough, and stopped in front of it. "Forgive me for not coming sooner, Tomoe," he said, quietly. Kneeling, he placed the iris in front of the memorial tablet and prayed.

Kenshin started as he realized that someone with strong ki was coming towards him. Silently berating himself for his distraction, Kenshin studied the ki. It brought up a picture of a man in a light-colored trench coat holding a kodachi. _Shinomori Aoshi, I believe. I'm pretty sure we fought, but other than that..._ Kenshin's thought trailed off. Sensing no hostility, he remained kneeling in front of the grave as Aoshi approached, although he kept all of his senses focused on Aoshi. Should he decide to attack, Kenshin would not be caught unawares.

Aoshi stopped a few feet behind Kenshin. His red hair was loose, flowing down over his shoulders, shifting slightly as he breathed. A dark blue gi had replaced the threadbare magenta one that he had worn the last two times Aoshi had seen him. His sheathed sword lay on the ground at his side. Any lingering doubts were banished from Aoshi's mind as Kenshin turned and looked at him.

"Aoshi-san," Kenshin said, his voice carefully neutral.

"Himura-san, I'm pleased to see that you survived the destruction of Shishio's headquarters at Mt. Hiei. We didn't think you were able to make it out in time," Aoshi said.

_**Kenshin struggled to his feet, using his sheathed sakabato to pull himself up. He was standing next to Saito on a bridge that had a large section gone. Across the gap, he saw Sanosuke standing next to Aoshi in front of a doorway. **_

Kenshin blinked, bringing his mind back to the present. He was a little leery of Aoshi. The red head knew they had fought before, and now Aoshi had admitted to knowing about the affair with Shishio. However, the tall man was making no attempts to mask his ki, and Kenshin had sensed no lie when Aoshi said he was pleased to see him alive. The flashback seemed to indicate that they had been trying to escape together. There was no way for Kenshin to ask without alerting Aoshi to the fact that he didn't remember what had happened. Mentally conceding defeat, Kenshin realized he'd have to place himself in a vulnerable position if he wanted to get any answers. "You were at Mt. Hiei. What can you tell me about the events that took place there?"

Aoshi's eyes narrowed ever-so-slightly in confusion. "This is not a suitable place for such discussions. Perhaps we should continue this at the Aoiya?" Aoshi said, gesturing back the way he had come. Kenshin nodded, following Aoshi through the cemetery.

Aoshi stopped, stooping to pick up an empty bucket before continuing. Kenshin noticed the fresh flowers in front of five markers, and absently read the names as he went by. _Beshimi, Hyottoko, Shikijo, Han'nya--_ "ORO?!" Kenshin looked at the stone marker again, to be sure he'd read it correctly. Himura Kenshin. _Well, I suppose it makes sense. Kaoru and the others thought I was dead, but it is quite eerie to see one's own headstone in a graveyard... _

Aoshi had turned at Kenshin's exclamation. The corners of his mouth twitched when he noticed what the red head was staring at. Before he could say a word, Kenshin turned away from the grave, catching up to Aoshi. Not one to waste words where they weren't needed, the ex-leader of the Oniwabanshu continued leading the way to the Aoiya.

Kenshin's eyes strayed to the bucket in Aoshi's hands, his thoughts still on the stone tablets. _Those names sound familiar, but I can't quite remember why. Aoshi obviously knew them, so it is likely that I may have fought them, as well. He must have been visiting their graves when he sensed my presence. After all, dead people don't walk around in the cemetery. However, that means that he was the one who put that flower on my grave-- I mean, in front of that memorial tablet. I do not have a grave, and I hope to keep it that way for quite some time!_ Kenshin thought.

Thus distracted, Kenshin did not notice when he and Aoshi arrived at the Aoiya. Misao, who had been waiting for Aoshi to return, jumped up off the porch and ran to meet him.

"Aoshi-sama, how was-- Himura!" Misao shouted, briefly pausing in shock before changing her course and running over to hug Kenshin.

Kenshin heard his name shouted, and looked up in time to see a girl flying towards him. His eyes widened and he sidestepped out of the way, causing the girl to land on the ground and roll a few feet away. He realized, belatedly, that she hadn't been attacking him, but her ki had just become very hostile indeed. He eyed the rooftops, looking for possible means of escape until she had calmed down enough for him to apologize.

Misao hadn't been prepared for Kenshin to dodge, and landed ungracefully on the ground. Her anger burning, she quickly raised herself to a crouch, grabbing and preparing to throw her kunai at the jerk.

Upon hearing the light click of metal on metal, Kenshin turned back to glance at the girl. His eyes caught on the kunai she was pulling out of her ninja outfit.

_**It was dark, the faint light of the moon doing little to illuminate the forest around him. **_

_**"Kecho Kick!" **_

_**Kenshin ducked as a body came flying towards him through the air. The person sailed over his head, and he ducked again, staying down and hopping back and forth on the ground, his face hidden in his hands. With his usual rurouni ineptitude, he inadvertently avoided a third kick. Sensing a break in her attacks, Kenshin stood up, holding a bag of money in his hand that he had grabbed from her belt. "Anyway, I'd like to talk to you about this money," he said, looking at the bag. **_

_**Misao looked down in surprise, only now realizing that he had taken it. "Oh, that does it! Give me back that money, it belongs to me!" she yelled, pulling out eight kunai and preparing to throw them. **_

_**Kenshin's eyes widened as he saw them, looking around for something to defend himself with. He spotted a cream-colored cloak, and dived for it as Misao let the first kunai fly. **_

_**"Kansatsu Tobikunai!" **_

_**Quickly pulling the cloak in front of him, Kenshin managed to stop the kunai before they reached him. **_

_**"Aaahh! You just filled my cape with holes!" Misao cried. **_

_**Kenshin stared at the ruined fabric in his hands, a clueless expression on his face. "Uh, sorry about that." **_

Aoshi had been watching Kenshin's reactions carefully. The normally alert ex-hitokiri was distracted enough to have not noticed Misao until she had been about to grab him. Given Kenshin's question in the graveyard and his reaction to the girl, it was safe to assume that he probably didn't remember Misao. Noticing Kenshin's gaze become vacant, Aoshi quickly stepped in front of Misao, blocking Kenshin from her view. He easily caught the six kunai the younger ninja had thrown before she could stop herself. Aoshi watched impassively as Misao jumped up off the ground, her face flushing in embarrassment not only from having acted like that in front of him, but also accidentally throwing the kunai at him. He spoke before she could apologize. "Misao, would you prepare some tea for us?" he asked, handing her kunai back to her.

Misao looked up at his request, absently accepting the kunai. She was happy to find that Kenshin was alive, but confused and more than a little upset by his reaction to her. She paused, torn between doing as Aoshi asked and confronting Kenshin.

Seeing her hesitation, Aoshi reiterated his request. "Please, Misao. There are some things I need to discuss with Himura-san."

Misao nodded, heading to the kitchen. Aoshi looked back at Kenshin, noticing that his gaze was once again focused and resting on him. Seeing he had the red head's attention, Aoshi walked inside and led Kenshin to a room on the second floor. He sat on one of the mats, indicating Kenshin should do the same. After they were both seated, Aoshi looked at the smaller swordsman. "What would you like to know?"

There was a brief pause as Kenshin collected his thoughts. "How were you involved?"

"Well, I _did_ try to kill you," Aoshi admitted, his tone almost casual.

"ORO?!" That was not the response Kenshin had been expecting.

Aoshi's eyes widened in surprise. _The first time we met, I told him I would become stronger in order to defeat him. Why is he so surprised that I tried to follow through on my promise...? Unless he doesn't remember our first meeting. No, that doesn't make sense. He knows who I am-- he called me by name in the graveyard. Himura, must you always be so difficult to understand?_ Aoshi thought, a barely audible sigh escaping his lips. "Himura-san, what do you remember?" If Aoshi was to tell Kenshin anything, he needed to know where to start.

Kenshin hated having to reveal just how much he didn't remember. Not being able to remember what happened could be a weakness, and Kenshin wasn't comfortable informing Aoshi how little he knew, especially in light of Aoshi's last comment. Instead, he decided to give Aoshi a starting point. "Would you please tell me how you were involved in all of this?" Kenshin asked, ignoring Aoshi's question.

Aoshi recognized Kenshin's evasion, but didn't say anything. Instead, he started from the beginning of his part in the previous events. "After Okina refused to tell me where I could find you, I temporarily joined forces with Shishio. You and I fought at Mt. Hiei, and I lost."

_**Aoshi was standing in a dark room, his two kodachi drawn. "Whether I win or lose, I'll have no ill feelings." **_

_**"Yes, I agree. This will be the last fight we'll have together," Kenshin said, sliding his sheathed sword through his obi. He turned, crouching slightly with his right shoulder forward and his hand hovering over the hilt of his sword in the stance for battoujutsu. He waited for Aoshi to make his move. **_

_**As if on some unseen cue, Aoshi lunged forward, bringing his kodachi towards the left side of Kenshin's neck. The red head could almost feel the blade against his bare skin as he drew his own sword, using his final attack. It was over in an instant and Aoshi laid on the floor where he had been thrown from the force of Kenshin's attack. **_

_**The only sound in the room was Aoshi's labored breathing. Kenshin sheathed his sword, and walked over to his fallen opponent. "Can you stand?" he asked. **_

_**"Probably not for a while. My entire body has gone numb. I believe that I've come to the point where I can no longer feel pain," Aoshi said, staring at the ceiling. He turned his head, allowing his gaze to rest on Kenshin. "However, my mind is still as bright and clear as it ever was. For some reason, I'm feeling refreshed. What was that attack?" **_

_**"Ama-kakeru-ryu-no-hirameki. It's the ultimate form of attack of Hiten Mitsurugi Ryu." **_

Kenshin's eyes were unfocused, staring slightly above and to the right of where Aoshi was sitting. He was obviously lost in his thoughts, so the ninja waited patiently for Kenshin's mind to come back to the present before he continued his summary of what took place at Mt. Hiei.

There was a knock on the shoji before it opened to reveal Misao carrying a tray holding two cups and a pot of tea. She set the tray down in front of Aoshi.

"Thank you, Misao," Aoshi said, dismissing her. Reluctantly, the younger ninja left the room, closing the shoji behind her.

Aoshi poured tea into the two cups. Looking up, he noticed Kenshin's eyes were once again alert and focused on him. Aoshi offered the shorter man a cup and Kenshin accepted, nodding his thanks. He sipped it absently as he waited for more details concerning what took place at Mt. Hiei.

After taking a drink from his own cup, Aoshi continued. "After defeating me, I am told you fought Soujiro--"

_**A smiling boy, holding a sword in front of him almost carelessly-- **_

"--and won."

_**The same boy in a different room, his eyes narrowed in anger. "Finally, you're serious," he said, his voice harsh. **_

_**"You misunderstand. You see, I've been serious the whole time. If I wasn't serious, then how could I expect my opponents to take me or my words seriously?" Kenshin asked, mirroring Soujiro's battoujutsu stance. **_

_**"I see your point. I'll let go of my pride, then, and fight you with my full strength. Here I go." The younger swordsman dashed towards Kenshin, seeming to vanish. **_

_**The red head matched Soujiro's movement and speed, starting his own attack a split second after the boy's. There was a loud clang of metal on metal as the two blades connected, one of them cracking and breaking under the strain. The force of Kenshin's ultimate attack flung the smaller boy to the far side of the room. He landed hard on his back and did not rise. Kenshin fell to his knees in exhaustion, using his sword to keep himself upright. His shuddering breaths were the only sound breaking the silence. **_

Kenshin shook his head slightly to clear his mind, and motioned for Aoshi to continue. The memories seemed to be coming back more easily as Aoshi talked, and Kenshin wanted to know everything that had taken place.

Aoshi obliged him. "I was told that you then fought Shishio. I do not know the details of that fight, but when I arrived, you and Saito were both unconscious, while Sanosuke could no longer fight. I was able to stall for time until you regained consciousness, and resumed your fight. You were the victor."

Up until this point, Kenshin's flashbacks had been coming one at a time, and were manageable at that level. However, he was now hit with an onslaught of memories that threatened to overwhelm him. He remembered running down a seemingly endless hallway, entering a large arena with smokestacks all around it, and Shishio standing in the middle. Bits and pieces of the battle were being played out in his mind, all jumbled up in a confusing array of attacks. He absently raised his hand to his head, desperately trying to make sense of the chaos reigning within.

Aoshi sipped his tea, waiting patiently while Kenshin struggled to calm his mind. Suddenly, Kenshin's head snapped up, his eyes locking onto Aoshi's. "I... There was a woman, with Shishio-- Yumi-dono, I believe. What happened to her?" Kenshin asked, more than a little trepidation in his voice.

"Shishio saw an opportunity to strike when your guard was down by running his sword through her and into your side. There was nothing you could have done to have prevented it," Aoshi added, anticipating Kenshin's next question.

Kenshin nodded, closing his eyes and watching the memory in his mind's eye.

They sat in silence for a few minutes more. Aoshi looked out the window, noticing that the sky was beginning to darken. He turned back to his guest. "Himura-san."

Kenshin looked up, his eyes slightly dazed.

"I do not know what you do and don't remember. However, you have met everyone at the Aoiya. Misao already suspects that something is wrong. I will leave the decision to inform them of your amnesia up to you, but I do not think you can leave without them finding out," Aoshi said, rising. Kenshin stood as well, following the ninja to another room. "You may stay here tonight. Dinner will be brought to your room when it is ready."

"Thank you, Aoshi-san, but this really isn't necessary," Kenshin protested, weakly. He wasn't in a mental state to be able to argue much of anything.

"It is I who should be thanking you, Himura-san," Aoshi said, thinking back to their fight. _You made me understand that I was blaming others for my own weakness, and turned me away from my path of destruction. Although, the repercussions of my actions will still be felt for some time yet,_ Aoshi thought, looking down the hall towards Okina's room.

"Oro?" Kenshin's mind wasn't up to the challenge of deciphering Aoshi's cryptic answers.

Aoshi caught himself trying to smile. He had fought Kenshin when he was at his best, mentally and physically. Now, two months later, Kenshin was standing in front of him once again, only this time the red head was so confused he could barely think straight. It was a bit ironic. Having nothing else to say, Aoshi nodded to the smaller swordsman and exited the room.

Kenshin stared at the closed shoji after the ninja left. _Well, he's certainly an odd one. However, I am grateful to have a place to stay tonight,_ Kenshin thought, looking around the room. Choosing a corner, he walked over and sat down, leaning his sword against his shoulder. He had intended only to meditate until dinner was brought up, but the resurfacing memories had taken their toll, and Kenshin slipped easily into sleep.

. . .

Kenshin's mind pulled him closer to consciousness as someone walked up to the shoji leading into his room. He wasn't truly awake and would resume sleeping if the intruder walked past his door. However, this was not the case, Kenshin's eyes and the shoji both opening simultaneously.

The swordsman looked up, seeing Misao holding a dinner tray in her hands. Kenshin wasn't quite sure how to act towards the girl. On one hand, he had remembered her attacking him before. But she was also ecstatic (a little _too_ ecstatic, in his opinion) to see him earlier. He decided to let her make the first move, and go from there.

Misao walked over to him. "I wasn't sure if you were awake, cuz you didn't answer when I knocked. Anyway, I figured if you were asleep, I'd just leave it so it'd be here when you woke up," she said setting the tray down.

"Thank you, Misao-dono," Kenshin said.

She paused, as if waiting for him to say something else. Kenshin just stared at her, not knowing what else was expected of him.

"You could at least apologize, you know," she said, a little angrily.

"Oro?"

"Don't give me that! After the way you embarrassed me in front of Aoshi-sama... I've never been so humiliated in my life! It's all your fault! You know how much he means to me!"

_**Kenshin and Misao were standing on opposite sides of a wide gorge. Kenshin watched Misao walk back the way she had come before turning to continue his journey. A drastic shift in her ki caused him to stop, surprised. **_

_**"Don't just stand there and talk to me like you know it all-- you're a big knuckle-head! You're telling me to forget Aoshi?! The reason I'm searching for him is because there is no way I **__CAN_ forget about him!" Misao cried, turning and running back towards the cliff. 

_**"No, you won't be able to make it!" Kenshin shouted. **_

_**"How is forgetting about the person I care for the most in the entire world suppose to ever make me happy?!" she yelled. Ignoring Kenshin's warning, she gathered as much momentum as she could, and jumped. **_

Kenshin blinked, bringing himself out of the memory.

Misao, oblivious to Kenshin's momentary lapse, continued her tirade. "--and then you go to Shishio's hideout and disappear for two months! Everyone thought you were dead! And poor Kaoru was practically in denial--" Misao stopped, realizing something. "Kaoru! I have to send her a letter telling her you're alive!"

Kenshin stopped her, holding his hands up in a placating gesture. "Calm down, Misao-dono. Kaoru-dono already knows I'm alive. I met her in Iakayama, and I am actually on my way back to Tokyo now," Kenshin said, relieved to finally reach a subject he knew something about.

Misao stopped at his admission, looking at him shrewdly. "Iakayama is northeast of here, and Tokyo is much further east. How can you be on your way to Tokyo if you're heading in the opposite direction?" she asked, looking like she wanted to catch him lying.

"I had to come to Kyoto first, but I told Kaoru that I'd return to Tokyo," Kenshin replied. It wasn't the whole truth, but it was close enough.

"You had to come to Kyoto? Whatever for?" Misao asked, curiously. Then her eyes widened in understanding and she smiled. "Baka," she said, hitting him lightly on the shoulder. "You didn't have to come all the way to Kyoto to show us you were alive!"

"Oro?"

"Although it is good to see you again, you could have just sent a letter! I mean, Kaoru was really having a hard time, thinking you were dead! I'm surprised that she let you out of her sight! Well, I'll make sure you get home to Tokyo as soon as possible. I'll go talk to gramps, and we'll have you on a train back to Tokyo first thing in the morning!" Misao said, out the door before Kenshin had time to protest.

Kenshin sighed, shaking his head. _How do I end up with all these weird friends?_ he wondered, picking up his chopsticks and beginning to eat his dinner. After he had finished, he placed the tray outside the door. Resuming his seat against the wall, Kenshin allowed himself to fall back into oblivion.

. . .

The next morning, Kenshin woke up, a little nervous. Having been invited to spend the night, he wasn't really sure what would be expected of him this morning. _Should I go down to the dining hall for breakfast? I already had a free meal last night, and I wouldn't want to impose. However, it seems rather rude to just leave. I should make an appearance, at least. But, what then...?_ Stepping out of his room, Kenshin was spared making a decision as Okina called out to him from down the hall.

"Ah, good morning, Himura-kun! You're up bright and early, I see! Aoshi and I were just going to have breakfast-- why don't you come and join us?" Okina asked.

Kenshin smiled at the older man. "Thank you," he said, following him. _He seems familiar. Of course, Aoshi said that I've met everyone here. What is his name...?_Kenshin thought, his smiling face betraying none of his thoughts.

"Omasu, would you send three breakfast trays up?" Okina asked, turning to the younger ninja behind him. Omasu bowed and left to inform the kitchen staff of his request. Okina watched Kenshin closely as the younger man approached. _I believe Misao was right-- there is something wrong with Himura. Not only did he not find it odd that I would be dining privately with Aoshi, but he didn't address me by my name. I may not have known him for very long, but he always addressed me by my name. Very curious, indeed,_ Okina thought, leading Kenshin into one of the many rooms in the inn.

Aoshi was already in the room, and Okina motioned for Kenshin to sit on the other mat, going to the corner to retrieve one for himself. "So, Himura-kun, how is your new sword working out for you? Is it better than your old one?" Okina asked, pretending to just be making conversation. He had a guess as to what was wrong with Kenshin, and wanted to confirm his suspicions.

_How did he know I had a new sword...? Well, I remember when my other sword broke. I suppose he could have known about it... _Kenshin reasoned, hesitating slightly before answering. "It is a superior blade," he replied.

"It is fortunate that Arai Seiku was able to forge such a fine sword for you on such short notice. He has indeed inherited his father's skills," Okina continued, casually.

Aoshi realized what Okina was trying to do and watched Kenshin impassively, curious to see how it would turn out. True to his word, he had not told anyone about the red head's amnesia.

_Arai Seiku? That must be Sir Shakku's son. Then, is Sir Shakku dead...?_ Kenshin thought. "Sir Seiku is a fine sword smith, indeed."

"Misao said you seemed different," Okina said, changing the topic of conversation abruptly. " And I believe I have figured out what it is. You're missing a portion of your memory, are you not?" Okina asked, a triumphant gleam in his eye.

Kenshin blinked in surprise. _I should have seen that one coming,_ he berated himself, recognizing the traps in Okina's questions. He was saved having to answer by the arrival of breakfast.

After they had been served, Okina continued. "Forgive me, Himura-kun. I realize that you would rather have kept this information to yourself, but I now understand why you didn't return when you escaped Mt. Hiei. I've had our spy networks keeping an eye out for you both, in Kyoto and some of the neighboring towns, but you've managed to avoid being spotted, somehow. I assumed you were dead, like everyone else thought you were." Okina leaned forward, looking at Kenshin, intently. "Tell me, where did you go? Our information network is the best-- how did you avoid being spotted?"

Kenshin resisted the urge to smirk. _Shishou's a bad influence on me,_ he thought, shaking his head. "Apparently, your spy network isn't as infallible as you believe. I was in Kyoto for three weeks after the events on Mt. Hiei," Kenshin said, relieved to have some measure of control over the conversation. He began eating his breakfast, enjoying the look on Okina's face.

Okina stared at Kenshin in shock. "You were right here for three weeks?!" he asked, not quite believing it. After all, he knew about _everything_ that happened in Kyoto-- but somehow he had missed Kenshin.

Aoshi mentally applauded Kenshin. Not many people could avoid all the spies within the Oniwabanshu's information network, especially right here in Kyoto.

"Three weeks... We certainly need to do something about our spies..." Okina said, still flabbergasted his network had such gapping holes in it.

Aoshi decided it was time to turn the conversation in a different direction. "Where are you heading now, Himura-san?"

"I am going back to Tokyo," Kenshin said.

"Yes, Misao mentioned that last night. I assume you'll want an early start. We'll see you to the train station," Okina said, coming back in on the conversation.

"Actually, I'd prefer to walk."

"Nonsense! It's much faster to go by train-- you can get there in a day instead of a week! Don't worry about the money, I can buy you a train ticket," Okina said, trying to be helpful.

"That's very kind of you to offer, but I must decline. There are some things I need to sort out before I arrive in Tokyo, and I'm afraid that one day isn't long enough," Kenshin explained.

Okina nodded, knowingly. "Very well, Himura-kun."

The rest of breakfast was spent in silence.

. . .

An hour later, Kenshin was walking down the road, away from the Aoiya. His bag was full, Okina having insisted on giving him more than enough provisions to last until he reached Tsurugo.

Misao was standing in front of the Aoiya, still waving even though Kenshin's back was to her. "Tell Kaoru-chan I said hi!" she called.

Okina stood next to her, watching Kenshin disappear down the street. _Hopefully, this won't be the last time we see him,_ he thought, remembering the last time Kenshin had walked down this road.

Kenshin walked, distractedly. He was grateful for the kindness showed him by the people of the Aoiya, but something was bothering him. _What is that guy's name?! _

. . .

**To Be Continued**


	20. Home

Disclaimer: I don't own anything in this story. Don't worry, you'll get over it. I did.

**Chapter 20**

Kenshin had left Kyoto behind, and been walking for four hours. It bothered him that he couldn't remember the old man's name, and he hadn't allowed his mind to dwell on anything else. Focusing so intently on that had allowed several other memories to resurface, such as finding Arai Seiku and fighting Chou. However, the old man's name had continued to elude Kenshin's grasp.

Becoming frustrated, Kenshin turned his thoughts to Misao. He was able to pull up a few more memories with her, remembering how and why they met, and most of their journey to Kyoto. She was quite an emotional young lady, and he had to laugh at one or two of the memories that came up. He went through putting everything into chronological order, and trying to remember other events along their journey that he might have missed. Turning his thoughts towards Kyoto, his mind willingly showed him what had happened when they reached the Aoiya.

Misao stopped in front of a building with a sign that read "Aoiya." The old man was sweeping off the front porch. Cupping her hands around her mouth, Misao called to him, "Hey! I'm home, gramps!"

The old man looked up, before running over and, picking up Misao, spinning around with her in his arms. Kenshin watched silently as the rest of the staff came outside, all greeting Misao enthusiastically.

"I guess I should be on my way," Kenshin said, quietly, turning and starting to leave. He didn't want to intrude, and he didn't think anyone had even heard him. He stopped, slightly surprised, when the old man spoke to him.

"Hold it right there! We haven't been able to thank you yet. Please, make yourself at home here. Be our guest Mr. Himura the Battousai."

_Kenshin's eyes narrowed slightly. _

_ "Even if you hide your cross-shaped scar, people who know you, will know you," the old man continued. _

_ "But sir--" Kenshin started, only to be cut off. _

_ "I'll listen to the details inside. For now, why don't you come in?" he said, walking inside. After a brief hesitation, Kenshin followed. _

_Misao skipped off, saying she was going to change and take a bath, and the old man led Kenshin to an empty room. Kenshin entered first, all traces of his rurouni mask gone as he turned and watched the old man behind him. _

_Closing the shoji, behind them, the old man looked at Kenshin, his expression serious. "Well, now. During your travels with her, didn't Misao mention her involvement with the Oniwabanshu at any point?" he asked. _

_Kenshin looked a little surprised. "Are you trying to say--" Kenshin started, only to be interrupted again. _

_ "It's precisely as you suspect. When I was in my younger days I, Kashiwazaki Nenji, was also a member. My code name, when I was in charge of this area, was--" _

"Okina!" Kenshin shouted, triumphantly, startling some birds out of a nearby tree. He glanced around, a little self-consciously. The road he was traveling on was deserted.

Turning back around, he realized that the sun was starting to sink below the horizon. He had been so lost in his memories that he hadn't noticed the passage of time. He walked along the path a little further until he spotted a good place to camp for the night. After eating dinner, he leaned against a tree that faced the road while the bushes kept him concealed from view. Casting out his senses, he searched the surrounding area for any ki, friendly or otherwise. Finding none, he relaxed against the rough bark and soon drifted off into a light sleep.

. . .

Kenshin awoke early the next morning. He had a quick breakfast and was on the road just as the sun was peeking over the mountains in the distance. Being able to recall so many memories under his own power the previous day had put him in a good mood, and he hoped to be able to remember more throughout the rest of his trip. Seeing as he had been able to remember so much about Misao and Okina, Kenshin decided to start the day by focusing on the only other member of the Oniwabanshu he was currently familiar with-- Shinomori Aoshi.

. . .

Kenshin arrived at Tsurugo in late afternoon, and began searching for an inn. Finding one without too much difficulty, he purchased a room for the night. He ate a quick dinner and indulged in a long bath.

After soaping up, Kenshin relaxed in the furo, thinking about what he had accomplished today. He had been able to retrieve his memories of fighting Aoshi and the other members of the Oniwabanshu at the Kanryu estate, and those events had been linked to Megumi. Thinking about the doctor had allowed Kenshin to remember their first meeting, which led him to remembering about Sano, as well. And his memories of Sano had also been linked to Yahiko and Kaoru.

While it was wonderful that he was regaining so much of what he had lost, the sudden influx of memories from the past few days had his mind reeling. So, after his bath, he retired to his room, using the time until he went to bed to meditate and file all of the memories away in chronological order. It seemed as though there wasn't much left that he couldn't remember, although the location of the dojo seemed to be among those few memories. Kenshin wasn't particularly worried about finding the dojo-- he still had four to six days of traveling before he reached Tokyo, and he was sure that he'd remember before then.

. . .

Kenshin woke early the next morning, feeling refreshed. Not in any particular hurry, he took his time eating breakfast before leaving to find a store to purchase supplies for his trip to Ontako.

After walking around for a bit, he finally found one to suit his needs. Entering the shop, Kenshin found it was empty, save for the clerk and an old woman who was looking at the selection. Never having been one to waste time shopping, Kenshin quickly gathered what he needed, and purchased his items.

"Oh, doing a bit of traveling, are ye?" the shopkeeper asked, making conversation. "Where are ye headed to, if ye don't min' me asking?"

Kenshin returned the clerk's friendly smile. "I'm on my way to Tokyo."

At hearing this, the old woman looked at Kenshin, noticing the sword at his side. "You'll be going through Ontako, then?" she asked, joining the conversation.

Kenshin turned towards her. "Yes, I--"

"Good," she interrupted. "I'm moving to Ontako to live with my sister. You'll travel with me, and protect my treasures," she said, her tone brooking no argument.

"Oro?" Kenshin was taken off-guard by the directness of the old woman, but he was not one to withhold his assistance when it was needed. He started to reply when she cut him off again.

"Well, what are you standing around for? I want to get on the road as soon as possible! Move it!"

Kenshin smiled at her, obligingly gathering up his purchases as she paid for her own. Waiting for the old woman outside, he followed her over to a cart and helped her load her supplies.

"So, you need company for your trip to Ontako?" Kenshin asked, trying to make small talk.

The old woman looked at him as if he were stupid. "I need someone to protect my treasures," she said, gesturing to the items in the back of the cart. "You're going to make sure no one steals any of it."

Kenshin eyed the items in the cart. _I don't think you could pay someone to take most of this junk,_ he thought, but he wisely kept it to himself. There was a high-pitched growl and Kenshin reflexively jerked away, canine teeth closing on the spot his fingers had been a split second before.

The old woman looked up. "Youji! There you are! I was wondering where you were hiding," she said, picking up the little dog. Youji gave her a canine grin, his tongue lolling out of his mouth as she hugged him. She put the dog back on the cart while she climbed up.

Immediately, the dog went over to where Kenshin was loading the rest of the old woman's purchases. Youji tried to bite Kenshin anytime he came within range. Kenshin thought the dog was just being protective of the cart, and managed to finish putting the supplies on the cart while avoiding Youji's teeth. Perhaps the dog just needed some time to get used to the swordsman.

Finally having gotten herself situated, the old woman glared at Kenshin like he'd been holding them up. "If you're quite finished fooling around with Youji, then we can leave," she said.

Kenshin just smiled at her. "I'm ready."

The old woman picked up the reins and directed the horse to start walking down the road. Kenshin followed at the side of the cart. The little dog stayed in the back of the cart, barking at every person they passed.

. . .

Around noon, they stopped for lunch by a stream. They weren't making very good time, in Kenshin's opinion. The old lady had set a slow pace so as to not tire the horse. In addition, she wanted to stop every two hours and walk around to ease the stiffness in her joints. Kenshin didn't mind that much, but it was extending the amount of time they spent on the road. Normally this delay wouldn't be a problem except for the fact that Kenshin had decided that he did not like small dogs. The beast had not quit barking since their departure from Tsurugo, running back and forth in the cart and barking at things that weren't there, or perhaps barking at the trees and bushes themselves. The constant cacophony was wearing on the swordsman's nerves, and he prayed that the little dog would become hoarse for the remainder of the trip. The old woman seemed oblivious to the awful racket produced by the small canine, much to Kenshin's chagrin.

Getting down off the cart, the old woman stretched before reaching back and grabbing the bag that contained her food. She walked over and plopped down on a rock, looking expectantly at Kenshin. "Well? What are you waiting for? Take care of the horse!" she snapped, picking up Youji, who had jumped out of the cart to follow her. The dog barked at Kenshin, as if punctuating her order.

Kenshin's smile was polite, if not somewhat strained. _At least that dog is quiet when she's holding him,_ he thought, unhitching the horse from the cart, leading the gelding over to the stream. After the animal had drank enough, Kenshin checked his hooves for any lodged stones. Not finding any, Kenshin led him over to a grassy area to graze.

The old woman put Youji on the ground, and the dog took it upon himself to annoy Kenshin. Racing over to the red head, he stopped just out of reach, growling and snapping. Kenshin darted a glance at the old woman, but she was just smiling as if the dog had just performed a trick. Sighing, Kenshin ate his lunch, trying to ignore the threatening sounds coming from the dog, and jerking out of the way when the animal's teeth came too close to him.

About an hour later, they were back on the road. The dog went back in the cart once more, and barked only at things on the side Kenshin was walking on.

The journey continued, with the old woman taking a break every two hours, until sunset. They stopped near a stream a little ways off the road, to avoid anyone who was traveling through the night. At the old woman's demand, Kenshin removed the harness before giving the horse a good brush down. He checked his hooves, and let the gelding drink from the stream. After getting his fill, the horse followed Kenshin to a grassy area and began to graze. The swordsman hobbled the animal before walking back to where the old woman was sitting.

"Give this to him, too," she said, handing Kenshin a bucket with some grain in it.

Wondering why she felt incapable of doing so herself, Kenshin took the bucket over to the horse. _Perhaps she's tired. I don't believe she's used to traveling,_ he thought. _However, she has hardly walked at all. Oh well, it doesn't matter. I don't mind taking care of the horse._

Kenshin sat down and was eating his dinner when he noticed his tabi were very dirty. Deciding to take advantage of the stream, Kenshin walked over to the water and took off his zori, setting them aside. Removing his tabi, he submerged them in the stream, trying to work out as much of the dirt as he could without soap.

As soon as Kenshin kneeled by the stream, the little dog ran over to him, barking and growling just out of Kenshin's reach. The red head ignored him, trying to block out the constant noise from the small beast. Kenshin looked up at an odd bark, sounding as though the dog were trying to bark around something in his mouth. Turning towards Youji, the swordsman saw the canine in question running away from him carrying something in his mouth. Looking closer, Kenshin realized it was one of his zori.

Dropping the partially washed tabi on the bank, Kenshin leaped to his feet, racing after the dog barefoot. The sharp sticks and rocks under his tender feet hampered Kenshin's speed, and the dog had a head start. The old woman watched in amusement as Kenshin chased Youji around their camp, trying to retrieve his sandal. Finally, Kenshin managed to pick up the dog with one hand, while he grabbed his zori with the other one. Youji, however, refused to let go, so Kenshin pulled harder. The strain was too much for the worn strap, and it broke. Youji's now empty mouth sought to fill itself with Kenshin's hand. The red head quickly put the dog back on the ground, avoiding the snapping teeth, and looked mournfully at his now ruined sandal.

The old woman was laughing. "Oh, look, he was playing with you. He likes you," she said, picking up the dog in her arms.

Kenshin refrained from comment. Gingerly picking his way across the camp on sore feet, Kenshin retrieved his partially clean tabi and finished rinsing them. Youji stayed in the old woman's lap the entire time. Despite the unseasonably warm weather, Kenshin built a fire and laid his tabi on stones near it to help them dry. Pulling his ruined green gi from his bag, Kenshin tore off a few strips and replaced the broken strap on his zori. Kenshin looked at the dog while he worked, his hair hiding his eyes. Youji was watching him, and seemed to be pleased with himself. _This is going to be a long trip,_ Kenshin thought, glaring at the dog through his bangs.

. . .

The next morning, the old woman awoke to the smell of cooking meat. Looking over, she saw two sticks with several pieces of meat on each of them cooking over the fire. Kenshin sat a few feet away, cleaning his sword. The meat looked like it was about done, so the old woman walked over and helped herself. She picked up one of the sticks, blowing on it to cool it, and sat down to eat. She made a face. "You know, it tastes a lot better if you season it with something," she groused, taking another bite.

Kenshin muttered something under his breath at her remark. Youji had barked in his sleep sporadically all night, continually waking Kenshin. As a result, he was a little grumpy this morning. "I'm sorry, but I don't have anything to season it with." _This isn't a restaurant, you old hag,_ he added, mentally. He picked up the other stick and started eating. He was surprised by the taste. The old woman made it sound as if it was horrible, but it tasted pretty good to him. Kenshin smiled, thinking it might be an acquired taste.

She grunted at his response, and continued eating. Saving the last piece for Youji, the old lady looked around for him, calling his name. He was nowhere to be seen. She looked back at Kenshin, noticing him smiling, as if he were pleased with himself. She dropped the stick, a horrified look on her face.

"You monster."

Kenshin looked up, surprised at her tone and the glare she was giving him. What had he done wrong now?

"You villain! How could you do that to my poor Youji?! He was only playing with you last night!" she practically screamed at him, tears coming to her eyes. She leaped forward with agility surprising for her age and snatched the stick out of Kenshin's hand.

"Oro?"

"Just because he broke your stupid zori, you-- you--" she broke off, cradling the pieces of meat in her hands. "My poor baby..."

A bark sounded from the edge of the clearing, and the old woman looked up to see Youji trotting towards her.

Kenshin watched in dismay as she dropped the meat to the ground in surprise, and Youji happily cleaned it up for her. He sighed. _So much for breakfast. I can set a few more snares when we stop tonight, I suppose,_ he thought, looking longingly at the ground where the sticks lay. _But I haven't had rabbit that good in such a long time..._ He shook himself out of his thoughts, and started getting ready to leave. The sooner they were on the road, the sooner he was rid of his companions.

The old woman didn't offer as much as a single word of apology to Kenshin. She watched him put out the fire and harness the horse before hitching him to the cart. She was about to berate Kenshin for not feeding the horse first, when she saw her bucket on the ground. She had replaced it in the cart last night. The old woman was startled to realize that not only had Kenshin taken care of the gelding's needs before she woke up, but he had retrieved both the bucket and the grain from the cart in the dark without waking her up. He had also replaced the hobbles without her knowledge. She eyed him a little suspiciously as she climbed back into her cart, glancing over her treasures to see if anything was missing before heading out.

They continued in the same fashion they had the previous day, the old woman taking a break every two hours and stopping for lunch around noon. Kenshin's mood had improved, as Youji had not been interested in bothering him today. Kenshin had even found himself starting to enjoy the trip.

Halfway through the afternoon, Youji decided he was tired of riding in the cart. Jumping out, he made a beeline for the bushes, disappearing before the old woman even realized he was gone.

The old woman stopped the cart. "Youji! Youji, come back here!" she called. When the dog didn't reappear, she turned to Kenshin. "Well? What are you waiting for? We're not going anywhere without Youji, so go get him!"

_You may not want to leave without him, but I most certainly can,_ Kenshin thought. The hag's attitude was starting to grate on his nerves, but he couldn't leave her here, so he did as she bid him and went after the dog.

Following Youji's trail, Kenshin found the dog sniffing around the base of a tree about twenty yards from the road. Thinking the dog might like him a bit more since he had given him the leftover parts from the rabbits that morning, Kenshin reached down to pick him up. He promptly snatched his hand back to avoid Youji's teeth.

Kenshin tried to pick the dog up a few more times, but Youji was watching him now, and tried to bite the rurouni anytime he got too close. Sighing in frustration, Kenshin took his sword out of his obi. Using the sheath to distract Youji, he quickly grabbed the dog by the scruff of his neck.

Putting his sheath back through his obi, Kenshin made his way back to the road. He placed his free hand under Youji's legs, to make it look like he was carrying him properly. Walking over to the cart, he placed the dog into the old woman's open arms.

"What were you doing, running off like that?! Bad dog, you know better!" she scolded.

Youji whined, looking at her with puppy-dog eyes.

She smiled at him. "I know, you're tired of riding in the cart, aren't you?" she asked, cuddling him, her anger all but gone. She slapped the reins against the gelding's back, urging the horse to continue walking.

Youji glared at Kenshin over the old woman's arm. To the swordsman, the dog seemed to be planning revenge.

They walked past sunset, stopping when they found a stream. After tending to the horse, Kenshin ate a quick dinner and made himself comfortable against a rock. Hoping he would be able to find more rest this night than the previous one, he quickly fell asleep.

Kenshin woke up, senses on full alert, trying to find out what woke him. For some reason, he looked down. Youji was standing next to him, raising his hind leg. Reflexes took over and the red head found himself standing several feet away as the dog's urine hit the place Kenshin had been sleeping.

Youji looked at him, clearly displeased that the rurouni had evaded. The dog finished and trotted back to the hag, and settled down. He continued to watch Kenshin, as if waiting for another opportunity to strike.

Not intending to give him one, Kenshin eyed the trees around him. Picking out a likely candidate, the swordsman jumped into the lower branches. Kenshin sat down on one of the thicker branches, leaning back against the trunk. _I can't believe this. The infamous Hitokiri Battousai, treed by a miniature canine. What would Saito say? And I don't even want to THINK about Shishou's comments!_ Kenshin thought, shaking his head. Glaring at the dog one more time, the red head was pleased to note that Youji didn't look very happy that Kenshin had thwarted his plan. Smiling at the mutt's look of disappointment, the rurouni tried to go to sleep.

Kenshin got up with the sun, feeling as tired as he had the night before. Several times during the night, Kenshin had let his body relax too much and almost lost his precarious perch because of it. He had jerked awake and caught himself each time, but his body had not been allowed to get the rest it needed. "And so, the dog still has the last laugh," he grumbled quietly to himself. Jumping out of the tree, he walked over to the stream. Splashing cold water on his face made him more alert, if not refreshed, and he retrieved his bag. He kneeled on the ground, setting his sword beside him, and began fishing through his sack for his breakfast.

Hearing the audible click as a sword was loosened in its sheath, Kenshin reflexively reached for his weapon. He jerked his hand back as a mouth full of sharp teeth closed around it. Looking down, Kenshin saw Youji chewing on the hilt of his sword. Grabbing the sheath, Kenshin pulled sharply, intending to rip the hilt from the dog's mouth. The sheath slid off smoothly, causing Kenshin to overbalance and fall on his side. He looked up to see Youji trying to run away with his prize, the sakabato greatly hampering his escape. Kenshin jumped up and grabbed the blade, inadvertently cutting his hand as he pulled the hilt from the dog's mouth.

Youji could tell it was a losing battle, so he let go and scampered back over to where the old woman was still sleeping.

Kenshin looked at his saliva-covered hilt in dismay. Glaring at the little beast, Kenshin trudged back over to the stream, and rinsed it off. Noticing his hand was bleeding for the first time, he rinsed it off as well, binding the cut with a strip from his torn green gi.

The old woman woke up, and saw Kenshin rinsing off his blade in the stream. Her eyes traveled to his now wrapped hand, and she snorted, muttering about incompetent swordsmen who are clumsy enough to cut themselves on their own blades.

Kenshin's sharp hearing caught the comments, and he paused in what he was doing, taking deep, calming breaths. _She was asleep, and would probably not believe me if I told her, anyway. She'll just say the dog was only being playful. She's probably right._ As much as he tried, Kenshin couldn't convince himself of the last part of his thoughts. _Playful. Right. At the rate he's going, that mutt will be lucky if he makes it to Ontako alive,_ he thought, darkly.

Youji had resumed barking at Kenshin from the safety of the cart almost as soon as they had continued traveling. For some reason, Kenshin couldn't seem to tune it out, and it was starting to grate on his nerves. After what seemed like an eternity, they found a stream to stop at for lunch, and Kenshin was granted a brief reprieve from the noise while Youji ate. The rurouni used this time to try and regain his peace of mind-- he knew he was going to need it once they were on the road again.

Kenshin kneeled by the stream, splashing water on his face. The cool liquid helped clear his thoughts, and allow him to focus better. He was starting to feel a little better when two small paws hit him between his shoulder blades.

Distracted by his thoughts, Kenshin hadn't even noticed Youji running up behind him, and the dog's momentum pushed Kenshin head-first into the water. The red head came up, sputtering, and saw the dog grinning back at him on the bank.

_That's it! Old hag or no, I'm going to **KILL** that dog!_ Reflexively, Kenshin released a strong wave of ki, directed solely at Youji. The rurouni stared, dumbfounded, as Youji yelped and ran as fast as he could back to where the old woman was sitting. He hid behind her, shaking uncontrollably.

The hag glared at Kenshin, accusingly. "What did you do to my poor Youji?! I've never seen him this scared! What gives you the right to frighten my baby?! You're a monster!"

Kenshin just stared at her, blankly. He was still a little shocked by this new revelation. _That was IT?! THAT was all I needed to do?! Just intimidate him with my ki?! I DON'T BELIEVE THIS!_ he thought, incredulously, pulling himself out of the stream.

Not long after that, they were back on the road. Youji had taken to hiding in the cart and staring at Kenshin when the red head wasn't looking. He had stopped barking, and would hide if the red head glanced in his direction. The old hag was muttering and throwing dark glances at the swordsman, although she could not figure out what he had done to frighten Youji so badly.

Fortunately for Kenshin, the day was warm, and his clothes dried relatively quickly. Now that there was silence, he could focus more on his thoughts. He supposed he really should feel bad for what he did to Youji, but he couldn't bring himself to feel anything other than satisfaction. He didn't worry about it too much-- after all, it was just an intimidation technique.

The rest of the day seemed to go pretty quickly, and they reached Ontako as the first stars appeared in the night sky. Eager to be rid of the hag and her dog, Kenshin didn't pay much attention to where they were going, thinking about what he was going to do. The moon was half full, so he was planning on walking for another hour or so and making camp on the road when a familiar voice interrupted his thoughts.

"Nariko! I was beginning to wonder when you'd get here. I thought you'd be here yesterday?"

Kenshin looked up to see Tsuya hugging the old hag. Kenshin realized, for the first time, that he didn't know the old woman's name. _Nariko? Gentle child? Someone named her poorly. Hold on, given the way she's acting, that would mean-- Tsuya's her sister?! How can those two even be related?! They're complete opposites!_

"Well, I would have been here sooner, but my guard was slowing me down," Nariko said. "You can go now," she continued, dismissing him with a negligent wave of her hand.

Kenshin turned, intending to do just that, when Tsuya's voice stopped him.

"Wait, you've had a long journey, and you must be tired-- Kenshin? Is that you?" she asked. It was dark, but she saw the light spilling out of the door reflect off his red hair as he turned to go. He turned back at her question, allowing the light to fall on his features. She smiled. "So it is. And were you just planning on leaving without so much as a hello?"

Kenshin bowed. "Gomen, Tsuya-san, but I didn't want to intrude, that I did not," he apologized.

"I see you haven't changed since I last saw you. Kenshin, how many times do I have to tell you? You're not intruding, I invited you back. Now, come inside, both of you-- I'm sure you must both be tired," she said, gesturing into the inn.

Nariko glared at the boy who came to take her horse to the stables, but Tsuya assured her that her belongings would be safe. Picking up Youji, Nariko followed Tsuya inside, a somewhat reluctant Kenshin trailing behind.

After speaking to a few of the staff members, Tsuya led them to the family quarters, away from all the rooms used for the guests. Much to Kenshin's dismay, he was put in a room right next to Nariko.

Nariko inspected her room before turning back to Tsuya. "Obviously, your staff members are overpaid. This room is filthy!" Tsuya just smiled at her sister. "The staff keep the guest rooms clean. We clean our own rooms. Remember, Nariko, this is my inn. You may live here, but you have to abide by my rules. You don't have to work, but my staff is not here to cater to your needs. They've got their own jobs to do, and you aren't going to add to their workload, understood?"

Kenshin looked at Tsuya, a bit surprised. It was obvious she wasn't going to let her sister boss her or her staff around. Nariko nodded and entered her room, Youji tucked under her arm.

Tsuya turned back to Kenshin. "I know what my sister is like, so I'm pretty sure you've had to do most of the work during your journey, didn't you? I'm sure you'd enjoy a nice hot bath to relax. Since you're not familiar with this section of the inn, I'll show you where it is," she said, walking back down the hallway. Kenshin followed in her wake.

"It's the same as before, towels and dry clothes on the shelves, and leave your dirty clothes in the basket. I noticed you're wearing a new gi. What happened to the green one that I gave you?" Tsuya asked, making conversation as they walked.

Kenshin bowed his head, apologetically, even though she was walking in front of him. "Gomen, Tsuya-san, but it was ruined."

"Well, I am a bit surprised to hear that. Given how threadbare your other one was, I thought you'd keep it for years! No matter, I think you look very nice in blue, as well. Ah, here we are," she said stopping in front of a door. "Take your time, dinner will be brought up to your room after you're finished."

"Arigato--" Kenshin began.

Tsuya held up her hand to stop him. "I don't want you to tell me that I don't have to do this. It's the least I can do for you, after having to travel with my sister for three days. Just relax and enjoy my hospitality!" she scolded, giving Kenshin a mock glare.

Kenshin laughed, raising his hands in defeat. A hot bath did sound appealing. "Alright, you win. I won't say anything, and I'll try to enjoy my stay." _Despite the fact that I am in a room next to the hag and her loud and obnoxious mutt,_ he added, silently.

Smiling at her victory, Tsuya left Kenshin to his bath. The rurouni took his time soaping up before slipping into the steaming furo. He sighed as the hot water encompassed his body, helping his muscles to loosen up. Kenshin leaned back, pulling his hair in front of him and combing his fingers through it while there was still some soap to ease the knots out. The repetitive motion was relaxing, and he caught himself starting to drift off to sleep. Deciding that he'd bathed long enough, Kenshin got out, dried off and got dressed. Not wanting to take a towel to his room, he towel-dried his hair and stepped out of the bath room.

While walking back to his room, Kenshin saw Tsuya. She was coming out of the kitchen with a bowl, and she was pouring something over the contents of the bowl.

He followed her up to Nariko's room, turning to enter his. "Nariko, here's Youji's food," he heard Tsuya say through the closed shoji. Kenshin decided to forgo dinner, and go straight to bed. Two nights with virtually no sleep was catching up with him. Absently realizing that someone had set out his futon, he practically collapsed on it and fell asleep, not noticing Tsuya cracking open the shoji to check on him before silently sliding it shut.

. . .

Kenshin woke late the next morning, feeling better than he had in days. Looking out his window, he was startled to see the sun was already pretty high in the sky, and he was even more surprised to realize that he hadn't been woken up by Youji's barking once all night. He remembered seeing Tsuya put something on Youji's food, and laughed as he realized she had drugged the dog.

His clothes had been washed and placed just inside the shoji, so he got dressed. He opened the door as Tsuya came around the corner.

"Oh, good! You're awake! I was just coming to check up on you. So, have you reconsidered my offer for a job?" Tsuya asked. She laughed at the expression on Kenshin's face.

"Gomen, but I need to be getting back to Tokyo," Kenshin said.

"I was only teasing you, Kenshin. If you didn't want a job before, I'm sure you wouldn't want one now that Nariko's living here. She's not easy to get along with, but she knows better than to cross me. So, I don't suppose I could persuade you to stay for a few more days, at the least?" she asked, hopefully.

"I'm sorry, but I really need to be going as soon as I can. I'm already late as it is," Kenshin replied.

"Alright, Kenshin. Since you're in such a hurry to be off, I'll have Kuniko-chan make you something to eat on the road. It shouldn't take more than a few minutes."

"Thank you, Tsuya-san."

A few minutes later, Nariko and Tsuya were standing on the porch, the latter waving as Kenshin walked down the street, away from the inn. _Well, Nariko, although I like your sister, I can honestly say I am sorry to have met you. _

Youji, just having woken up from his drug-induced nap, saw Kenshin's retreating form, and barked.

_And your little dog, too,_ Kenshin thought, focusing his ki and sending the dog yelping and scampering back inside. Kenshin allowed himself to smile. _I love doing that. _

. . .

After leaving the inn, Kenshin picked up some supplies and headed towards Kofu. It took him the better part of two days to arrive in town, but he only stopped long enough to get a few more supplies, and continued on to Tokyo. It took him two more days, but he stopped for the second night just outside of Tokyo. He built a fire, then sat and just stared into the flames, lost in thought.

_Well, it's been about a month since I saw Kaoru and the others. I've probably made them worry about me. I pushed myself to get back here, but am I really ready? I'm pretty sure I now remember most, if not all, of my lost memories, but..._ Kenshin's thoughts trailed off. He shook his head. _Ready or not, tomorrow I face my friends once again. I hope they'll forgive me for how I acted in Iakayama._

A sizzling sound made Kenshin start. It was soon followed by a few more, and the rurouni felt a few cool drops of water land on his skin. _Great, just what I need,_ he thought, scampering away from the fire. He found a large tree with thick branches that looked like it would provide shelter from the storm, and made himself comfortable. It was going to be a long night.

. . .

The sun rose, obscured by the fog that clung to the city. Kenshin walked through the streets, a little annoyed by the weather. _I still don't remember where the dojo is, and this fog is making it even more difficult to see anything that might help me remember!_ He was walking between the river and a white wall. The place seemed familiar, but he couldn't quite grasp why. Looking over to the side, he stopped. There was a break in the fog, allowing him to see the sunlight glistening on the water, a few misty tendrils clinging to the river's surface. The scene was lost on Kenshin, as he saw something completely different in his mind's eye.

**_It was dark, fireflies glowing as they flew around, their light reflecting off the water's surface. Kenshin held Kaoru tightly, trying to ease the pain of his leaving. "I'm a rurouni. It's time for me to wander again." He released her, turned and walked away. He heard her fall to her knees and heard her crying bitterly, but he did not look back. It was better this way. _**

Kenshin hesitated before continuing. He didn't think Kaoru would want to see him after he left her like that, but her words and actions in Iakayama suggested otherwise. She'd even followed him all the way to Kyoto. He was this close-- he had to go on. Kenshin unconsciously slowed his pace as he saw someone ahead of him through the fog.

. . .

Kaoru looked out over the river. She couldn't sleep, so she had gone to sit outside on the porch. The fog had drawn her away from the dojo and out to the water. It was so beautiful, that she just stood there, taking it all in and imprinting it in her memory. I wish Kenshin could see this, she thought, a pang of regret shooting through her heart. She blamed herself for having driven him away after they had found him. It had only been a month, but she wasn't sure if he would ever come back again.

Hearing a sandal scrape against the dirt, Kaoru looked up. She saw a figure emerging through the mists. It was just a faint outline at first, becoming clearer as the person came closer. He was wearing a gi and hakama and he carried a sword at his side. Kaoru's breath caught as she tried to see who it was.

Kenshin's steps slowed until he stopped a few feet away from Kaoru. He looked at her, not really sure what to say.

Kaoru couldn't believe her eyes. _It's Kenshin! It's really him, he's really here! Kenshin's here!_ she thought, excited. Kenshin shuffled his feet, not sure what to do and Kaoru smiled. _He looks so cute when he's unsure of himself._ Taking a deep breath, Kaoru held out her hand to him. "Okaeri-nasai."

Kenshin returned the smile, taking her hand. "Tadaima."

. . .

**The End**

On a funny side note, I looked up synonyms for "dog" in my thesaurus, and this is what it said: afflict, plague, trouble, bother, beleaguer, harass and vex. All adequate describing words for Youji, to be sure!

**Japanese terms:**

okaeri-nasai - welcome home

tadaima - I'm home

The story is now complete. I'll be writing a sequel of sorts, entitled _In His Shoes_, in case your interested. Catch ya on the flipside!


End file.
